TIF and Planning Commission Meetings This Week--Please Read

Funky in favor of getting this done with speed. And in favor of it.

 

the Aye's have it.

 

i just opened a beer- congrats to everyone

 

13-0!

Beautiful! Congrats KC! I can't wait to see this thing built!

 

pop the champagne! this is truly a great moment in wizards history, one in which ongoal is single-handedly responsible for.

 

not just ongoal, there are a lot of people responsible for it, Lane4, the developers are another one that is responsible for this as well.

and now come the REAL fireworks....

 

Forgive me I've been out of the town and I'm trying to catch up. So is this pretty much the final vote we needed for it to be approved?

 

WOOHOO!!!

Congrats to all of those who have worked so hard on this thing.

 

Finally, we can get to the point of the shiny gold shovels in the dirt....great day for the Wizards organization...congrats to the people who made it happen

 

So how is the state looking on this project? Have we heard anything from them?

 

There was at least 1 state person there. Seems there is a lot of state support for this.

 

While I couldn't get to this meeting (which I'm still listening too... these things have a lot of numbers in them), you can be sure I'll be there for whatever ground-breaking, demolition, etc... cause I work essentially accross the street from it.

 

I have the same question. Does the state have to vote also, or is this a done deal?

 

It's my understanding that the state is on board (as long as the city passed Super TIF) and also that Lane4 and OnGoal plan to start work prior to obtaining state funding (which goes to show how confident they are in the state piece).

So technically there's still the state side for approval, but essentially we're all good.

 

Here is the KC Star article, I know I am breaking rules but I dont really care right now, its a special occassion.

Funkhouser, in switch, now backs Bannister Mall redevelopment plan
By KEVIN COLLISON
The Kansas City Star
Funkhouser
Funkhouser

* Employee files complaint, says Funkhousers wife called her Mammy

Mayor Mark Funkhouser, who recently said he “could not stomach” extraordinary tax incentives for a Bannister Mall redevelopment plan anchored by a Wizards soccer stadium, now supports the deal.

Funkhouser’s newfound support of super TIF for the project came as a City Council committee approved a $949 million Bannister Mall plan that in some respects exceeds the scale of the Power & Light District downtown. The Bannister area plan is scheduled to go before the full council today, where it is expected to be approved.

The mayor’s apparent shift on city incentives for the project came just days after he said at a public appearance that he “could not stomach 23 years of super TIF” for the project. His comment prompted a spasm of lobbying and negotiations in recent days.

Funkhouser said that amended legislation introduced Wednesday at the council’s Finance and Audit Committee would give the city the opportunity to continue to work with the developer to reduce the need for super TIF. The mayor also acknowledged that the state would not supply aid without super TIF.

“We’re going to approve the super TIF because we need state participation in this,” Funkhouser said Wednesday. “I support this. It’s an enormously beneficial project.”

The Three Trails redevelopment plan for the Bannister area has strong neighborhood backing in south Kansas City, where it is being touted as an opportunity to reverse the fortunes of an area that has been declining for years.

“Our community is passionate about this project,” said Councilwoman Cathy Jolly, whose district includes Bannister Mall.

The huge project, backed by top executives at Cerner Corp., calls for changing the environment of the 467-acre development site by demolishing the closed Bannister Mall and Benjamin Plaza shopping center. In their place, plans call for building an 18,500-seat soccer stadium; a 12-field tournament soccer complex; a 250-room hotel; up to 1.1 million square feet of retail; and up to 1.7 million square feet of office space.

The plan also calls for creating a $10 million neighborhood benefit district, with $2 million advanced up front by the developer, which would provide grants, loans and other assistance for commercial and residential property owners near the development site.

Funkhouser said the amended agreement, reached late Tuesday, represented “a reasonable deal for the city. This gives us time to stay engaged with the developer and get the support from the state it deserves.”

Even so, Funkhouser’s new position suggests that he didn’t have enough votes on the council to prevail in resisting super TIF. Jolly and Councilman John Sharp, who also represents the area, had been confident they could rally enough council votes to approve the redevelopment plan regardless of the mayor’s opposition.

Still, Robb Heineman, the president of OnGoal LLC, the owner of the Wizards, said he was pleased that the mayor supported the committee’s recommendation.

“What we’re most excited about is we have the mayor’s support,” he said.

The Three Trails plan was unveiled in early September by Lane4 Property Group. The developer had been hired last spring by the Wizards to pursue the goal of having a new stadium built for the team by 2010.

Strong interest in the pro sports stadium was expressed around the metropolitan area, particularly Olathe. But Lane4 was attracted to the Bannister Mall site because of its good access from throughout the area and the community interest in revitalizing the property.

 

Wizards Stadiym Approved

The Wizards' plan to build a state-of-the-art soccer complex on the Three Trails site has been approved by the Kansas City, Missouri City Council. The project calls for the closed Bannister Mall to be replaced by a 18,500-seat professional soccer stadium and much more.

On the Wizards website there is the link to pictures of the site

 

Re: Wizards Stadiym Approved

being discussed here:
https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=618594&page=26

 

Re: Wizards Stadiym Approved

Stadium? What? I have no clue what your talking about. When did this happen?

 

Re: Wizards Stadiym Approved

Thanks for the 411, man! Hey, did you know that Chicago signed former Mexican soccer star and celebrity Cuaoaohtyhdsyrx Blanco? Well I just posted it for everyone on the Fire board, just in case. Hope you get lots of cheap PK's and take money from lots of adoring Latinos who couldn't care less about the Fire and will stop coming when he finally breaks a hip and retires.

PS Osorio's gone too. Tough break man. Chin up.

PPS No I didn't really post it on the Fire thread. Give me some credit.

PPPS I'm sorry about the caustic tone, really I am. I'm just pissed off that monkeys designed our downtown, forcing me to miss the most awesome moment in our team's history.

EDIT: Damn it mods, this post just isn't the same now that there isn't a whole pointless thread. Oh well, had to be done I guess.

 

All you need now is a fistful of dirt from the groundbreaking and you have some frameable art!! That's pretty cool that the coach was there....how about players?

 

Re: Wizards Stadiym Approved

Oh I know, it is my fault. But none-the-less your post is still funny.

 

This is amazing news. I can't help but notice that the Mitchell Report and news of a billion dollar investment involving a soccer stadium come out on the same day.

Things are looking very good for soccer. I am shocked by how far soccer has come in the last few years.