The Dotte

Fact Sheet: Citywide Development in KCK

A special interest group is spreading false information about the Unified Government budget and the economic success of developments like Village West. Here are the facts. Please share with your family, friends and neighbors.

§  The economic success of the Village West and Kansas Speedway development are well documented. 10-million visitors annually. $811-million in combined public and private investment. 114 businesses, including 28 restaurants, are open in Village West, employing nearly 5,000 persons. The Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway will open in February 2012 creating 1,000 new jobs. Construction of the Cerner Corp office complex will create 4,000 new jobs over the next several years.

§  The  businesses in Village West pay $11.5-million a year in property taxes. They generate more than $610-million in retail sales. Local and state sales tax, use and transient guest tax collections top $41-million. The STAR Bonds used to finance the development will be paid off in 2017, four years ahead of schedule.

§  Village West gets a lot of public attention, but that doesn’t mean the rest of our community has been forgotten. The tax revenue generated by the crowds of shoppers and tourists have stabilized our tax base and are helping pay for improvements in the older urban neighborhoods of KCK.

§  Prescott Plaza at 18th and I-70 is a very successful project which brought the first new grocery store to the urban core in 30 years along with restaurants and shops. A new Sunfresh Market has opened in Turner and the new Happy Foods Grocery opened at 55th and Leavenworth Road.

§  The 39 Rainbow Project is under construction in Rosedale near KU Med Center. It is a $40-million mixed use development with a hotel, retail stores and housing.

§  New Dollar General and Family Dollar stores are opening in several urban neighborhoods bringing the convenience and economic boost of new retail to older areas of KCK.

§  The $14-million Children’s Campus building in downtown KCK is a landmark project in both its benefits to downtown and its important work to help KCK children.

§  The Unified Government commits $2-million a year to improve aging streets in the urban core. Reconstruction of Parallel Parkway from 5th to 9th streets is underway. 7th Street from State Avenue to Fairfax was repaved. New curbs and sidewalks have been built along a 10 block stretch of Quindaro Blvd. Millions have spent across the urban core… from Argentine and Armourdale to Quindaro and Midtown improving sewers to prevent flooding.

§  The Complete Streets program will bring curbs, sidewalks and bike paths to urban neighborhoods. Using federal funds, the Unified Government built sidewalks along State Avenue in Midtown and is moving toward the start of Bus Rapid Transit from downtown Kansas City, Missouri to Village West.

§  New housing has been constructed in Strawberry Hill, Quindaro, Rosedale, Turner and Midtown.

§  The Indian Springs project, while not yet redeveloped, demonstrates the Unified Government commitment to improvements in the urban core and eastern part of KCK.