LAWRENCE — Former Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Syl James said he was convinced “CAVE people” were the greatest obstacle to solid leadership in municipal government. “Dealing with skeptics and CAVE people was always difficult.”He said coalition building was integral to advancing initiatives in Kansas City, including a commitment to demolish the old Kansas City International Airport’s three-terminal complex and build a single-terminal airport. Playing ballJames said he understood the argument for possibly drawing on tax dollars for new stadiums for the Kansas City Royals or Kansas City Chiefs. The opposite end of the spectrum came in 2017 when voters approved of a $1.5 billion single-terminal Kansas City International Airport. “At that time, Kansas City was a city that never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity,” he said.