Mayor to speak to Business West members
Mayor Mark Holland will be the featured speaker at a Business West membership meeting at 11:30 a.m. Monday, June 29 in the auditorium of the West Wyandotte Library, 1737 N. 82nd St. The mayor will speak about current projects and then open the meeting for questions and answers. The cost for the meeting will be $20 and will include lunch. To make reservations, telephone 913-766-4300 or 913-406-6266 or make checks payable to Business West and send to P.O. Box 12905, Kansas City KS 66112. Payment may also be made through Pay Pal on the businesswest.org website.
Dairy Farmers of America to build headquarters
The Dairy Farmers of America, the largest private company in the Greater Kansas City Area with about $18 billion in annual revenue, will build a 100,000 square-foot office building near 98th Street and State Avenue. DFA is owned by more than 15,000 dairy farmers from across the United States. Its present headquarters building is in Platte County near the Kansas City International Airport in Kansas City, Mo. Incentives from the Unified Government and the State of Kansas were cited as reasons for the move. Kansas City area companies involved in the project include RED Brokerage, J.E. Dunn Construction Group, HOK architects and Van Trust Real Estate. About 325 employees will work in the building that will be near 98th Street and France Family Drive. DFA is obtaining the property from Schlitterbahn and is expected to complete construction in 2016.
College Endowment plans benefit golf event
The Kansas City, Kansas, Community College Endowment Association will sponsor its third annual “Scholarship Scramble” starting at 1 p.m. Thursday, June 18 at Falcon Lakes Golf Club, Basehor. ATT will be the primary corporate sponsor. For more information about sponsorships and signing up teams, telephone 913-288-7166.
New luxury apartments planned at Legends Outlets
A $50 million housing and parking development was announced at the Economic Development and Finance Standing Committee of the Unified Commission Monday, April 27. The developer would be EPC Real Estate who has done similar multifamily projects in Overland Park. The project proposes to use industrial revenue bonds and a .6-cent sales tax as a finance mechanism. The apartments would be just east of the southeast corner near110th Street and Parallel Parkway.
College, Police Department cooperate with fence project
The Kansas City, Kansas, Community College recently replaced a fence on its southern and western property line that included an area next to the Village Woods Estates housing area. The old fence had deteriorated with considerable overgrown weeds and foliage. The Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department was concerned as the area caused enforcement problems. The existing fence was demolished and a new 8-foot Chain Link fence was erected. Major Henry Horn of the Police Department said the effort was “a great example how the college staff was willing to work together with all stakeholders involved to improve the quality of life…”
Business West board member elected to Unified Commission
Melissa Bynum, a member of Board of Director of Business West, was sworn in as a member of the Unified Commission Thursday, April 23. She is the executive director of the Shepherd’s Center of Kansas City, Kansas, an interfaith, multicultural nonprofit organization that promotes successful aging. She previously worked in fund-raising for the American Red Cross, was executive director of the Leavenworth Road Association and was editor and publisher of The Wyandotte West and The Piper Press.
College to sponsor session on small business financing
Kansas City, Kansas, Community College will sponsor a seminar on financing small businesses at 8 a.m. Tuesday, May 12 in Room Q101 at the Technical Education Center, 6565 State Ave. The featured speaker will be Brande Stitt of the Women’s Business Center. For more information, telephone 913-288-7644.
New member welcomed
A new member of Business West is Randy Curnow Buick GMC at 7707 State Ave. The dealership recently went through extensive remodeling. The owner is Randy Curnow.
Legends Outlets to have new tenants
The Legends Outlets has announced new tenants. They include a Residence Inn slated to open this fall. The four-story hotel at 1875 Village West Pkwy. will have 108 rooms. The developer is Tharaldson Hospitality Management, Fargo, N.D. Verizon Wireless is building a free-standing location next to the Legends parking lot at 10621 Parallel Pkwy. Fuddruckers will take over the former Cheeseburgers in Paradise location. Luby’s Inc. owns Fuddruckers and also Cheeseburgers in Paradise. There was a Fuddruckers in Overland Park.
Bike Rodeo planned
The Kiwanis West Club will sponsor its annual Bike Rodeo from 9 a.m. until noon Saturday, May 16 at the Schlitterbahn water park, 9400 State Ave. Children will be encouraged to take their bicycles to the event for a free safety inspection and to ride a safety course; children need to be accompanied by an adult. The first 300 to arrive will receive a free safety helmet and T-shirt. For more information, telephone 816-751-4227.
Postponement told for casino hotel
The operators of the Hollywood Casino, Kansas Entertainment and Penn National Gaming have announced they will delay the building of a 248-room hotel. The agreement that the companies had with the Unified Government called for a $1.4 million penalty if construction was not started by April 1. The operators cited proposed state changes in casino taxation laws as the reason for the delay.
Master Gardeners to hold plant sale
The Extension Master Gardeners will hold its annual plant sale from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Friday, May 1 and from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday May 2 at the Extension Office, 1200 N. 79th St. Items will include vegetable and berry plants, flowers, ornamental grasses and miscellaneous items including books, small tools and decorations.
BPU launches YouTube channel
The Kansas City Board of Public Utilities has added YouTube to its social media tool box. BPU is also on Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin. Dave Mehlhaff, a spokesman for the BPU, said social media is an effective way to communicate with the public.
Soccer training center approved
The Unified Commission last month approved a development agreement for a 170-acre soccer training complex. It will include 40 acres northeast of 98th Street and State Avenue for the United States Soccer Federation’s Training and Coaching and Development Center. This is property that once was the Wyandotte County Fairgrounds and later became property of the Schlitterbahn water park. In addition, OnGoal will develop tournament soccer fields northeast of 94th Street and State Avenue. The Unified Government is purchasing this land from the estate of the late Dr. Leland Speer. Another nearby development will include an auto mall on the southwest corner of 98th Street and Parallel Parkway. The value of these projects is estimated to be more than $664 million. An estimated $264 million in sales tax revenue bonds will help finance these developments. The soccer complex is expected to be completed by late 2017.
New tenants enhance Wyandotte Plaza
The Wyandotte Plaza Shopping Center recently added new tenants. They include a Krispy Kreme doughnut shop which marked the opening of its 1,000th store with a new building that was near where the Evergreen Chinese restaurant was. The original building first housed a Smak’s Drive-In and later a Jack-in-the Box and a Popeye’s Chicken. More than 100 persons were lined up on the first day it opened. Also opening recently was PetSmart in the eastern half of the location that housed Price Chopper. Price Chopper moved to a new location in the east end of the center. Marshall’s department store plans to open in early May; it will be in the western half of the former Price Chopper location. The demolition of the Payless Shoe Source store has been completed to make way for a branch of Community America Credit Union.
Unified Commission approves plans to sell Legends 14 Theaters
The Unified Commission approved a proposal for the sale of the Legends 14 Theaters at its meeting Thursday April 30. The Economic Development and Finance Standing Committee recommended the sale when it met Monday April 27. When the Legends was first being developed in the early 2000s, a Wichita theater owner, Warren Theaters, was chosen. However, a disagreement over design issues caused Bill Warren to drop out as an operator. The Phoenix Theaters have operated the Legends Theaters since 2005. Although the Unified Government owns the theater property, no tax money has been needed to operate it. County Administrator Doug Bach said he has been very pleased with the manner that Phoenix has managed the theaters.
Savings institutions to merge
Inter-State Federal Savings, the oldest savings institution in Greater Kansas City which traces its roots back to 1889, will merge with First Federal Bank and take the First Federal name; however the new institution will utilize Inter-State’s charter. First Federal’s president, J.R. Buckner, will become the president of the merged entity. Rich Merker, the Inter-State president, will become the market president of the combined organization that will have11 branches in Kansas and Missouri with $650 million in assets.
Capital campaign succeeds
Wyandot Inc, the parent organization for social service organizations, recently announced it has raised $1.1 million to construct Robert’s Place, a new emergency shelter for children in crisis. Randy Callstrom, the president of Wyandot Inc., praised the capital campaign committee. Deryl and Paige Wymore Winn, were co-chairpersons of the fund drive. Robert’s Place will serve those from 3 to 18 years old who have been removed from their homes because of abuse or neglect. The new shelter will be named in honor of the late Robert Zevenbergen who died in a tragic auto accident. He was the son of Pete and Cindy Zevenbergen. Pete is the immediate past-president of Wyandot Inc. Robert will be honored at a “Luau with Love” at 6 p.m. Saturday, June 27 at the St. Patrick’s Parish Center. For more information, telephone Allison McLain, 913-328-4667.
Members always welcome
All Business West members are always welcome at Business West Board meetings. The Board meets at 12:30 p.m. the third Wednesday of the month in the Board Room of Sunset Bar and Grill, 8123 Parallel Pkwy. in the Arrowhead Center.
For questions or comments, telephone 913-766-4300 or 913-406-6266 (cell) or e-mail [email protected].