The Olathe Arena Pipedream

KCK · Post by **KCK** » Tue Mar 09, 2004 5:53 pm

They will never give up on this arena thing.

http://kansascity.bizjournals.com/kansa ... ily15.html

KCK · Post by **KCK** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 12:18 pm

More news on the Olathe Arena

Developers outline plans for arena in Olathe

By BRANDON BABCOCK and JAMES HART

The Kansas City Star

A proposed arena and retail development in Olathe would cost $273.4 million, developers told the City Council on Tuesday.

In a public hearing on the project, the developers said their plan would be eligible for $159 million in public financing. The project is proposed for the southeast corner of 119th Street and Renner Road. The plan includes a 9,000-seat arena with surrounding retail development, including stores and a 250-room hotel.

â€œEvery star is lining up in perfect order for this project,â€

UMKCgal · Post by **UMKCgal** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 6:10 pm

There is just wayyyy too much competition in this metro. I'm not really for an arena in the suburbs, but by golly if the suburbs just have to have an arena then let's just have one of them build it, not 3. In Joco I think it would make better sense to have it where OP proposed since its a lil more centrally located. 119th & Renner Rd. is just way to far on the other side of town for people in Eastern Jack especially. I think up north right by downtown would be an even better location though. If the northland pulls through w/their plans maybe they can develop the riverfront along with it.

We'll just have to wait and see I guess.

KC0KEK · Post by **KC0KEK** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 6:23 pm

I'm leaning toward 119th and Renner for two reasons: It's right off of I-35 rather than Metcalf, and if JoCo commuter rail ever gets going, they could make that a stop, not just for games and events but as a park and ride during the day.

trailerkid · Post by **trailerkid** » Fri Apr 30, 2004 10:52 pm

It looks as if the proposed Olathe arena will get public financing...

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Arena plan gets a boost

By BRAD COOPER The Kansas City Star

The Kansas Legislature took steps Thursday toward removing questions about whether Olathe can use a state tax incentive to build an arena in southwest Johnson County.

The House Economic Development Committee signed off on a bill that city officials think would clear the way for them to move ahead with a $273 million arena and retail center near Interstate 35 and 119th Street. The bill now goes to the full House.

â€œIt was good news for us,'' city spokesman Tim Danneberg said of the committee's action.

Olathe officials had worried that the Legislature might try to stop efforts to use sales tax and revenue, or STAR, bonds to pay for building the 9,000-seat arena. Without the tax incentive, the project would be dead, they said.

The incentive is generally used to pay for infrastructure such as sewers, streetlights and landscaping. However, municipal bond lawyers had interpreted the law to mean that it could help finance the construction of a building so long as it wasn't owned by or leased to a private developer.

But some lawmakers were concerned about that reading of the law after finding out that Wyandotte County had used STAR bond proceeds to cover $17 million of the cost of building Cabela's, a retailer of outdoor goods.

The Unified Board of Commissioners of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kan., did nothing illegal when it used the bonds to build an aquarium and wildlife museum at Cabela's because the county took ownership of the amenities. But some lawmakers thought the county had violated the spirit of the incentive program.

Lt. Gov. John Moore sought clarification of the law because he is responsible for approving the use of STAR bonds for projects across the state. Overland Park also is working on a proposal to build an arena and retail center near the Sprint campus off Metcalf Avenue.

Moore asked the Economic Development Committee on Wednesday to adopt a resolution that essentially reaffirmed state law â€” that STAR bonds could be used to pay for constructing a building not owned or leased by a developer.

Some lawmakers, however, questioned whether that would permit a city to construct a building such as an arena and allow it to be managed by a private firm.

On Thursday, the House committee added language to a STAR-bond-related bill to make it clear that cities could contract with a private firm to manage a building financed with the bonds.

The language satisfied the commerce department, which Moore oversees.

â€œWe think we have the direction we need to run the program,â€

KCKBOY · Post by **KCKBOY** » Wed May 12, 2004 7:48 pm

lol ayo dead man did u hear that edwardsville is trying to get an arena and a whole little entertainment district along the kansas river

KCDevin · Post by **KCDevin** » Wed May 12, 2004 8:16 pm

^ oh crap, does this mean that guy's 650ft tornado was accepted by Edwardsville?

KCKBOY · Post by **KCKBOY** » Thu May 13, 2004 5:09 pm

no no and.....no, i dont know what happened to that tornado crap, im glad i havent heard anything else about it, anyway edwardsville is trying to get an entertaiment district along tha kansas river, supposed to have an 8000 seat arena along wit hotels and shops, i highly doupt it would happen but hey it made the kansan

KCDevin · Post by **KCDevin** » Thu May 13, 2004 7:02 pm

ok good, because the guy had taken it to Edwardsville since KCK didn't work, and we haven't heard anything since.

KCK · Post by **KCK** » Sun May 30, 2004 8:50 am

Well Overland Park, Olathe, and Edwardsville still wants arena's even after KCMO announced theirs. I guess some people just don't want to ThinkOneKC. They would rather think of only their own city.

Development of Overland Park arena is running behind schedule

By BRAD COOPER

The Kansas City Star

A flurry of excitement greeted last December's announcement by developers that they would build a $140 million arena and retail center near the Sprint headquarters in Overland Park.

It would be one of the flashiest commercial developments in the city in recent years. And it would add an amenity the city lacks when it's trying to drum up business for its new convention center.

Six months later, the development team is still putting together a deal to take to the state to request the use of a special tax incentive that was used to build Kansas Speedway.

One of three arenas proposed for the Kansas City suburbs, the Overland Park project is running behind what developers described as an ambitious schedule to get their plans completed by this summer.

An initial timeline called for Overland Park to approve the project by July 12. But that schedule has been scrapped as the development team works to lure tenants to a 57-acre site at the northeast corner of 115th Street and Metcalf Avenue. â€œThat timeline has been overcome by events,â€

QueSi2Opie · Post by **QueSi2Opie** » Sun May 30, 2004 3:17 pm

I see Lenexa being the only smart one in this and building a soccer stadium.

eomaha.com · Post by **eomaha.com** » Thu Jun 03, 2004 3:27 pm

Wow... I guess I should be thankful Omaha only has Council Bluffs.

Although the little suburb of La Vista has plans to build a 10 story Embassy Suites hotel and 100,000 square foot convention center... which is a radical departure for our usually quiet bedroom communities.

missingkc · Post by **missingkc** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 8:03 pm

Posted on Sat, Jul. 31, 2004

Arena plans edge forward

By BRANDON BABCOCK

The Kansas City Star

Olathe's arena plans continued to creep forward Tuesday with a special Olathe City Council session vote to rezone 105.7 acres and approve a preliminary site development plan.

The Renner Road and 119th Street site, proposed to include a 9,000-seat arena, 250-room hotel and 624,950 square feet of commercial space, is awaiting state approval for use of sales tax and revenue bonds like those used to finance Kansas Speedway and its surrounding retail center in Wyandotte County.

A public vote on a downtown Kansas City arena will take place on Tuesday, but Olathe arena developers and city officials say that no matter the result of that election, the Olathe arena plans will proceed.

The rezoning approved the area as a planned general business district, zoning that developers hope will make way for destination retail. Bass Pro Shops has long been rumored to be a prospective tenant.

The preliminary site development plan lacks some specific details, like tenants, building elevations and a traffic study, but those are expected to be composed and announced if the state approves the special bonds.

Councilman Jim Randall was absent in the 6-0 approvals.

During a study session, the City Council also took the following action:

â€¢ Financial report: Received a report regarding June financial information.

June's report, which references sales tax receipts for April, shows Olathe's general fund income exceeded projections by $153,598, totaling $2.54 million for the month.

At this six-month point, enough data have been compiled to assess individual department expenditures, and a few have spent more than 50 percent of the allotted budgets, but none has critical overages.

â€¢ Community block grant: Discussed Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding allocations for the 2005 fiscal year.

Olathe administers federal funding for public service and community development and housing needs each year. The city received $496,660 this year. Four new agencies applied for the maximum allocation this year that did not request funds last year.

Those included Salvation Army Family Lodge, Johnson County Interfaith Hospitality Network, Johnson County Nursing Center and the Fair Housing office.

The city's decisions are sent to the county for final approval.

â€¢ Funding community service: Discussed non-Community Development Block Grant funding allocations.

The city manager has set aside $168,750 in the general fund for community service programs in the community that improve the quality of life in Olathe.

â€¢ Tax break: Received a report regarding a 10-year, 50 percent tax abatement and $23.4 million industrial revenue bond request for Systems Material Handling and Accosys.

The request is for the first phase of a planned $167.8 million business park development to be on 157 acres at the northeast corner of 167th Street and Lone Elm Road.

The Systems Material Handling portion is a 240,000-square-foot office building expected to employ 131 new employees at an average salary of $46,000 over the life of the abatement.

â€¢ Public art: Received a report on the public art committee's recommended purchases.

The two pieces are a $2,000 oil painting with a $150 lighting package for the lobby of City Hall and a $300 water color that has yet to be given a home.

The Olathe Public Art and Culture Commission was created in 2000 to oversee and administer the process for allocating public funds for such projects, enhancing quality of life, enriching the human spirit, encouraging and strengthening the creative process and deepening the community and societal values.

The combined purchases, if approved, would bring the balance of 2004 funds to zero.

â€¢ Transportation management: Received a report about possibly increasing authorization for the Advanced Transportation Management System to about $4 million.

In March 2001, funding was increased to about $2.1 million. Estimates have increased as the system has gotten closer to reality, and the major changes came as unknowns such as system integration and training got more accurate price tags.

The update would be reflected in the 2005-2009 Capital Improvements Program if approved.

Maitre D · Post by **Maitre D** » Sat Aug 07, 2004 8:08 am

WHY on god's earth are they building these things?

Just take a look at the OP Convention center: a white elephant if ever there was one. Can't anyone learn their lesson re: overbuilding?

The only arena that matters is coming in downtown. No minor league sports in JOCO, please. It KILLS our chances of getting the NHL.

KCDevin · Post by **KCDevin** » Sat Aug 07, 2004 11:18 am

why? It's better when you have alot of minor league sports teams... If anything it strengthens a sports town. Like I said, right now we will have 10 minor league teams, it'd be great if we had more teams, plus another major league team...

We aren't a tiny cowtown anymore. We are on our way to becoming one of the largest cities in the midwest.

But I agree, Olathe doesn't need this. It will look like crap, just like the OP CC.

trailerkid · Post by **trailerkid** » Sat Aug 07, 2004 11:21 am

In Omaha, neighboring Council Bluffs built a medium-sized arena similar to what Olathe, OP, and Edwardsville are proposing. I remember that arena drew some stuff like Pearl Jam when it opened, but now it appears things aren't so rosy after Omaha opened its new arena...

Barker said the Council Bluffs center offered another lesson in what not to do. She said it was unimpressive and seemed to be out in the middle of nowhere.

She said the manager told the task force, "we are fighting for our lives."

Could this be a lesson for Olathe?

Also, are people getting the significance of the fact that KS may very well heavily contribute through STAR bonds to a new small arena in Olathe and that KCMO couldn't get a dime from the state of MO?

GRID · Post by **GRID** » Sun Aug 08, 2004 12:28 am

destination retail???

Umm Bass Pro will not be a "destination" when you have larger, similar stores not only in MO and KS but in the metropolitan area. It will not be some sort of economic boom for the state of Kansas and therefore this arena should not recieve Star Bonds.

Olathe, just raise some money the old fashioned way like through hotel taxes (oh but then you might have to go to a vote huh?) and build something that the metropolitan area could use instead of something that would compete with other facilities and cities within the metro.

Like a soccer stadium complex.

trailerkid · Post by **trailerkid** » Sun Aug 08, 2004 1:31 am

GRID wrote: Like a soccer stadium complex.

Now you're on to something...let's get the state of KS to pay for the Wizard's new home in Olathe!

KCDevin · Post by **KCDevin** » Sun Aug 08, 2004 10:02 am

if we put the wizards in Olathe, then they'd be the Olathe Wizards and not the Kansas City Wizards...

KCK · Post by **KCK** » Sun Aug 08, 2004 10:05 am

pittsburghparoyal wrote:WHY on god's earth are they building these things?

I have your answer but you might not like it, especially since it pertains to light rail.

Infrastructure Envy

If new American urban rail systems do not reduce traffic congestion and air pollution, why are they built?

Urban rail projects, like publicly financed convention centers and domed stadia, are perceived as pre-requisites to achieving world class city status.

Olathe and Overland park want infrastructure because they envy larger cities particularly Kansas City, Missouri, but on a lesser scale Wichita, and Kansas City, KS. The two cities want to be the place to be in Kansas City, and even the entire state of Kansas. I think a lot of this comes from trying to take the flame from Wichita. In the past Wichita was the place to be in Kansas, but as OP, and Olathe grew, they saw that their cities were hardly anything more than oversized bedroom communities, so they wanted the things that real cities have, like transit, parks, recreation, sports, but they could sson find that no matter how much cash they load into creating a fake "city" experience, they can't imitate a real city.

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