Falls at Crackernack Creek update

[The Summit]

Battle for Bass Pro Shops heating up

What's going on

James Dornbrook
the Examiner
Independence and Jackson County are believed to be the front runners in the hunt to land Bass Pro Shops.

Several anonymous sources said the site on the southwest corner of Interstate 70 and Missouri 291 has emerged as one of two locations under close scrutiny by Bass Pro Shops as a location for a new store. The second site is on 23 acres southeast of I-70 and I-435, near the Truman Sports Complex. This land is owned by Jackson County, which awarded one-year development rights to Resolute Development Corporation several months ago.

Bass Pro Shops Spokesman Larry Whiteley would neither confirm nor deny that the two Jackson County sites are the finalists.

"All I can tell you is we're close to making a decision, but there is no announcement yet," said Whiteley.

Senator Matt Bartle, R- Lee's Summit, made comments in May to the effect that state government has held discussions with Bass Pro Shops and local governments over providing development incentives if the new store is built in Jackson County.

Steve Ehrhart, developer of Eastland Center, said he believed the information circulating about the two Jackson County sites had some merit.

Ehrhart said he doesn't believe the site he offered Bass Pro Shops on the southeast corner of I-70 and M-291 in Eastland Center is in the running anymore. He believes this is because communications between Ehrhart, Bass Pro Shops and the city have broken down in favor of negotiations with the owners of the land across M-291 to the west of Eastland Center. Ehrhart also said John Evans, one of the owners of the site to the west of Eastland Center, is a business partner of Bass Pro Shops Owner Johnny Morris.

The site on the southwest corner of the cloverleaf has been looked at in the past by Home Depot and Target. However, these developments eventually went elsewhere over concern about poor soil quality and flood plain considerations. Since Bass Pro Shops plans to build a small lake on whatever property it acquires, this would alleviate many of the flood plain concerns.

Ehrhart also laid credence to rumors about the Truman Sports Complex site, saying he believes one of the owners of Resolute Development Corporation is a fishing buddy of Morris. In a business of who you know, Ehrhart said this puts them on the top of the list also.

The Truman Sports Complex site offers Bass Pro Shops high visibility and a chance to attach its name to the national recognition of the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals. If selected, Jackson County government can make a pile of money to be used for renovations to the stadiums.

With or without Bass Pro Shops, development of Eastland Center is moving along quickly.

Ehrhart announced he has signed a brand new restaurant, Ted's Montana Grill, which will be constructed just west of Primo's Italian Ristorante. The restaurant, affiliated with Ted Turner, has a Bison-based menu.

Ehrhart also said he is close to signing a second hotel at Eastland Center, which will be built just to the east of the Holiday Inn Express that opened last month.

Construction of the new Hooter's restaurant is in full swing just to the east of Carraba's Italian Grill, with completion expected by the end of the summer. A major battle with Tri-City Ministries during the planning process delayed the project by almost half a year. Now the walls are up and a roof is in place.

Construction crews are busy laying the foundation for the new Kobe Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar, which will be built just east of the new Hooter's restaurant. The project should be completed in about two or three months, depending on the weather.

Walls will be going up this week on the new Bank of America building on the southern end of the Eastland Center, on the northwest corner of Valley View Parkway and U.S. 40.

Construction of the new BioLife medical office building should start either this week or next week. The building will be just to the north of The Shops at Eastland Center. Also in this location, construction of a 20,000 square foot medical center should begin in two or three weeks.

Sentimental Journey Antiques & Collectibles opened at 106 W. Maple on Independence Square about two weeks ago.

Owners Bob and Sue Wiggins of Blue Springs are retired and running the business purely for enjoyment.

"We love it. It's just so pleasant here. The people are really nice and it's just a really pleasant square," said Sue Wiggins. "We've had a great mix of local people and tourists in our store."

Wiggins said she formerly sold floral arrangements to a craft shop on the Square, and when it closed she wanted the location to start her own store.

"I looked around and thought this was an ideal location for our store. Everyone we've met so far has been really nice and welcomed us," Wiggins said. "We're close to the statue of President Truman that watches over everyone down here. It's great."

Wiggins said her husband and she are avid collectors, but didn't really include Independence in their circle of antique hunting. Now with a store on the Square, she said they learned Independence has a lot to offer.

"I'm not sure the Kansas City area realizes what a great resource this area is. We're going to do whatever we can to change that," she said.

The store is generally open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., but Wiggins said she has been experimenting with later hours. The store has been staying open until 6 p.m. during the week and 7 p.m. on weekends.

Sentimental Journey was also one of the few stores on the Square to open on Independence Day and Wiggins said it was their biggest day ever.

For more information about Sentimental Journey Antiques and Collectibles call (816) 228-5849 or (816) 836-8343.

Foundation work is underway for a new Consumers Credit Union building on U.S. 24 across from the Truman Presidential Museum and Library in Independence. The site formerly housed Harry T's restaurant.

To reach James Dornbrook e-mail jamesd@examiner.net or call (816) 350-6322.

[trailerkid]

I support the Sports Complex location. It just makes sense...stadiums next to a huge tourist draw.

[dangerboy]

The Sports Complex site would be great. It could be a good opportunity to correct the mistake of building the stadiums in isolation. Hopefully a master-planned development could be take advantage of the site.

[ShowME]

According to the KC Star it looks as if the Independence location has been chosen. What a bad decision on Bass Pro's part. They could of helped KCMO generate some badly needed economic development at the Truman Sports complex. Should of increased your bid to be at the speedway to begin with. Oh well at least the rednecks in Eastern Kansas City will enjoy your arrival.

[KCPowercat]

oh well....I want to put this in the project list but don't really feel like one business deserves it...is this a part of a larger project?

[trailerkid]

Uh guys....did you see the part about building a smaller store in Olathe? Dear God....I don't think KC needs three wilderness stores.

[KCDevin]

they need to put it as close to the border of KC and Independence as possible, yet near downtown. But, wouldnt the Truman Sports Complex still be in Kansas City, MO? as long as its in KCMO im happy.

[GRID]

They should have gone to Blue Ridge Mall.

The I-70 / I-470 area is now getting overdeveloped, after bass pro, that area will be the largest retail district in the metro area and its not slowing down. They will have to move a ton of dirt and tear down a lot of trees, not to mention traffic out there is increasing at an alarming rate and the roads are not keeping up.

Oh well, it looks like I will still have lots of cranes and hwy construction watch while doing my daily commutes for several more years to come to keep me entertained

[kcmajik]

i honestly have no idea what they're going to do with the traffic out there. if bass pro really does show up there, the shits really gonna hit the fan!

[QueSi2Opie]

Uh guys....did you see the part about building a smaller store in Olathe? Dear God....I don't think KC needs three wilderness stores.

That's the suburbs of Wichita so it doesn't count. Anything to keep Olathiens out of Jackson and Wyandotte Counties.

[dangerboy]

According to today's Examiner, the Independence site at I-70 and 291 Hwy is all but official. The papers haven't been signed, but the company has told Katheryn Shields that they don't want the Sports Complex site and do want to go to Independence. Plus, a business partner of Bass Pro's owner already owns much of the land at the Indep. site.

http://www.examiner.net/stories/102803/ ... 3005.shtml

While the Sports Complex site would have been closer to the center of the metro and would have given a big boost to that area, at least the Indep. site does have the potential to spur redevelopment to the west along 40 Hwy.

[trailerkid]

I have two words for this being official....Bannister Mall

[dangerboy]

I have two words for this being official....Bannister Mall

Like I said, no contracts have been signed yet and no one is saying that it is official. The difference here is that they own the land already, unlike the Bannister Mall project.

[The Summit]

This will be a nice development for eastern jackson county. I would bet that Olathe did not know what hit them. Score another for the Missouri suburbs. Now the tri-citys should build a small arena along with that minor league ballpark and really steel Olathe's thunder.

[trailerkid]

This is across the street from Independence Center right? I bet rent at that place will jump and demand will further increase from retailers who want to be out there now because it'll be a major tourist area. I could even see an upscale Town Center Plaza/Boardwalk strip center happening in the area.

[kcmajik]

this is like accross the street and then accross the street in the other direction(katty-corner) from independence center.

[dangerboy]

This is across the street from Independence Center right? I bet rent at that place will jump and demand will further increase from retailers who want to be out there now because it'll be a major tourist area. I could even see an upscale Town Center Plaza/Boardwalk strip center happening in the area.

It's the southwest corner of I-70 and MO-291/I-470. Indep. Center is on the northeast corner, Eastland Center on the southeast.

[KC_JAYHAWK]

This will be a nice development for eastern jackson county. I would bet that Olathe did not know what hit them. Score another for the Missouri suburbs. Now the tri-citys should build a small arena along with that minor league ballpark and really steel Olathe's thunder.

[dangerboy]

Update... MoDOT has begun thinking about the transportation ramifications of building a massive development on the southwest corner of 291 and 40 Hwys. A traffic study would likely recommend significant changes, additional turn lanes, and possible even replacement of the 291 briges over I-70.

http://www.examiner.net/stories/010304/ ... 4013.shtml

From a transportation standpoint, this site is probably the worst of any considered from Bass Pro, IMHO. It would make so much more sense to put it next to the Truman Sports Complex, which already has the infrastructure to handle the traffic.

[scooterj]

Good. I want to see it go to Missouri, but that location is wrong, wrong, wrong.