Wyndotte County Progress

Page 1

WYANDOTTE COUNTY PROGRESS

2013

The addition of Cerner to the skyline highlights a decade of booming growth in western Wyandotte County

Publication of the

Jobs, Retail, Real Estate & More Inside

February 27-28, 2013

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Progress

2013 3

Cerner’s move will impact all facets of business in Legends/West Village By Elvyn JONES

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erner Corporation has already changed the skyline of western Wyandotte County with the first of the twin nine-story towers rushing toward completion on its State Avenue campus. But area business leaders say the project has the potential to make greater changes to the county’s landscape and economy. Cindy Cash, president and CEO of the Kansas City, Kan., Area Chamber of Commerce, said Wyandotte County, and the Legends/West Village area in particular, have experienced many large and exciting projects since work started in 1999 on the Kansas Speedway. But, she said, the Cerner towers being built on a 58-acre campus on the southwest corner of State Avenue and West Village Parkway could take the county and the immediate area in a different direction. Cerner Corporation, a North Kansas City, Mo., based health care software developer, broke ground on the first of the towers in March 2012 and it’s expected to be completed in mid-year. The company announced in September that it would start work early on the second tower and that building now

ejones@theworldco.com is expected to be finished near the end of 2014. Cash noted the different nature of the development and its potential to be a difference maker was found in the name the project: Cerner Continuous Campus. The name reveals Cerner Corporation’s staffing plans for the 4,000 employees who will eventually work in the new Wyandotte County home of the company’s ITWorks, which manages the internal computer networks of health-care providers Cerner serves, and RevWorks, which assists clients in their billings, reimbursements and other accounting areas. Cash said those employees would start to have an effect when the first 1,000 workers report to work in Wyandotte County with the opening of the first tower. “That’s going to be a continuous campus,� Cash said. “There’s going to be activity in that world around the clock.� The 24-hour staffing would offer new opportunities to restaurants and retail establishments, Cash said. And the frequent clients Cerner has indicated would visit the new towers would

benefit Wyandotte County’s motels and hotels, she said. She agrees with a statement that Kansas City, Kan./Wyandotte County Unified Government Mayor Joe Reardon made last year that the Cerner development could lead those doing business with the company or those firms in similar or associated ventures to locate nearby. Cash noted the two towers would be very visible marketing tools for recruiting those or other businesses to the county. “It’s another piece of the development puzzle,� she said. “We are looking at two office buildings on the I-435 corridor. We hope it opens up other opportunities for more office towers on the corridor as other companies are intrigued by what is happening on State Avenue.� Cerner’s development agreement with the state made available $147 million in STAR bonds financing for the campus. In addition, the promise of 4,000 new jobs in the state with an average yearly salary of $54,000 leveraged additional incentives. Matt Keith, communications assistant with the Kansas Department of Commerce,

said the project qualified for $78.25 million in tax credits and saving through the state’s IMPACT funds, High Performance Incentive Program and other programs. It is in line for additional personal property tax savings through Enterprise Zone job credits, the amount of which will be determined when the value of the development is established, he said. Peggy Pugh, branch manager of Reece & Nichols Realty’s Wyandotte County office, said the promise of those new jobs was already affecting the local residential real estate market, pointing to a 306-unit apartment complex being built on North 110th Street between State Avenue and Parallel Parkway. Although those apartments would capture some of the new Cerner employees, she is confident many would look for new homes within the county. That is a prospect on developers’ radar, but most were taking a wait-and-see approach until the towers are finished and start populating, she said. “In the best-case scenario, we’d like to get some of them — at least half,� she said. “There’s good access to the north and south, so it should benefit the entire county.�

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4 Wyandotte County

Casino revenues dip, but officials plan for growth

By Caroline BOYER

cboyer@theworldco.info

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he Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway may have gotten a slow start, but casino officials say they are right where they want to be. After Hollywood had a stellar opening month in February 2012, revenue during the inaugural year of the casino didn’t quite reach original projections. But Dean Doria, vice president of marketing, says the year fit the pattern often seen at new casinos for Penn National Gaming, which runs the state-owned casino. “The first year went as we expected – we opened up with large crowds, and then things died down a little as people went back to their usual routines, before they started ramping back up again,� Doria said. The slowdown after opening is reflected in the 3 percent of gaming revenues the casino gives to local governments through the state.

The Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kan., last year projected it would receive $3.7 million in casino revenue in 2012: $2.3 million for the county, $1.1 million for the Kansas City, Kan., share. The cities of Bonner Springs and Edwardsville also receive some of the revenue. The revenue distributions take about two months to parcel out, so numbers from December are not yet available, but Edwin Birch, public information officer for the Unified Government, said the total amount of revenue distributed to the local governments thus far from 2012 was $3.09 million: • Wyandotte County – $1,546,294 • Kansas City – $773,147 • Bonner Springs – $486,000 • Edwardsville – $287,147 Those numbers may see a significant increase thanks to the holiday shopping in December, when Doria said retail

traffic from Village West boosted traffic at the casino. “Especially in December, we felt that we benefitted from that because of the additional retail traffic from the holidays,� he said. The casino also may see more visitors in the future on weekends when races take place at the Kansas Speedway. Traffic related to the first race that took place after the casino’s opening, in April 2012, caused some problems for casino visitors, but by the second race in October, Doria said most of those issues had been solved. “Crowds were much better the second race for us, I think partially because people were more aware we were here,� he said. “Hopefully by the third race coming up in April, it will be even better.� The casino celebrated its first anniversary Feb. 3 with a $15,000 giveaway and other rewards for

gamblers, and on Feb. 7, it planned to present a $1.1 million check to the county to fulfill a charitable contribution agreement: $500,000 of which would go to local charities, $100,000 to parks and recreation, and another $500,000 to be split among the non-host school districts in the county. “As corporate citizens, we’re proud to be able to fulfill that commitment,� Doria said. Birch said the Unified Government Commission continues to meet in order to lay out a plan and set policy as to how the additional casino dollars with be distributed from the local charity contribution. As for the future, Doria said the casino remains committed to its original agreement of constructing a hotel within two years of the casino’s opening, but the company is still working to find hotel to partner with. The hotel would be built on the casino’s west side.

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Progress

KCKCC, Providence among those offering healthcare opportunities By Melissa TREOLO

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2013 5

mtreolo@theworldco.info

raining and job opportunities in the healthcare field abound in and around Wyandotte County. At Kansas City Kansas Community College, educational opportunities include the registered nurse and licensed practical nurse programs. “And then we have two variations where the LPN can become an RN, and also the variation where a respiratory therapist or paramedic can become an RN,� said Shirley Wendel, dean of allied health and nursing. Other options include the physical therapy assistant program, exercise science, mortuary science and EMT technician training. And while an associate degree is the highest educational level available at the two-year college, KCKCC has agreements with other schools — such as Kansas University — that allow students to complete degrees in fewer than four years, Wendel said. The registered nursing

program at KCKCC attracts about 250 students, Wendel said. “We’re one of the largest programs in the state,� she said. “We’ve been at capacity since 2006.� The school admits 60 new students into the program each semester, she said. IN REFOCUS MODE Part of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth Health System, the University of St. Mary has “a very good reputation, particularly in nursing education,� said spokesman John Shultz. But of late, he said, the college has made some updates to its healthcare education offerings, he said, “more finely focusing on health care education right now.� In June 2012, St. Mary launched its first doctorate program, offering students the chance to earn a doctor of physical therapy. “The DPT has been tremendously popular,� Shultz said. In 2011, the college also began offering students a chance to earn an accelerated nursing degree.

“The point of that program is for folks who are looking basically for a second career,â€? Shultz said. Other offerings include the health information management program, as well as an online program for students who already hold an associate’s degree as a registered nurse but are looking to pursue a bachelor’s degree. Shultz said about 150 students from across the county are taking part in the online program. WHAT ABOUT AFTER THE DIPLOMA? Wendel and Shultz said it can be tough to land a job as a nurse or other healthcare provider. “It’s probably been the tightest I’ve ever seen it in 40 years,â€? Wendel said. “But (employers are) still hiring ‌ there’s more job openings in healthcare than other fields.â€? And hospitals in Wyandotte County say they are looking to hire new graduates. “We like to hire new grads, most places do,â€? said Kendra

Consiglio, human resources business partner for Providence Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan. “It gives you the opportunity to really teach that individual how the things work on your floors, specifically to the care that maybe this gives or each unit gives.� Consiglio said Providence has several staff nursing positions open right now, and generally hires more than 200 people a year for different areas of the hospital. On what stands out to Consiglio when looking at applicants, she said attention to detail goes a long way. “I look at how they have formatted their actual resume,� she said, noting that spelling errors are enough for a resume to go to the bottom of the pile. “(I need to see) that they’ve taken the time to put that together and present it in a professional nature.� Cynthia Smith, recruitment manager for the KU Hospital in Kansas City, Kan., estimated the hospital hired more than 1,500 people in 2012 — largely due

to the hospital’s purchase of the Heartland Healthcare Center in Overland Park and because the hospital earned status as a National Cancer Center Institute. “And with that achievement comes a lot of positions around research and new specialty areas,â€? she said. Smith said the hospital hired 175 new clinical nursing positions last year, and is beginning the hiring process for more nurses now. Other open positions include those in allied health, management and information technology. Smith said it was a good idea to follow a course of education that focuses on healthcare in some way, but that not doing so wouldn’t necessarily keep someone from getting a job at KU Hospital. “We have many positions that are just requiring a high school diploma. ‌ We always tell people, get in now, at whatever level you are. And then we will assist you to go to the next level, because we’re an academic medical center. Academia’s what we’re about.â€?

For more information KCKCC: http://www.kckcc.edu/academics/academicDivisions/alliedHealthAndNursing Univerity of St. Mary: http://www.stmary.edu Providence Medical Center: http://www.providence-health.org/pmc/body.cfm?id=54 University of Kansas Hospital: http://www.kumed.com/careers

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6 Wyandotte County

Area’s retail development spurs construction of apartment complexes

By Caroline BOYER

cboyer@theworldco.info

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Wyandotte County. The need for housing for those who work at the retail area and those who soon will be working at the Cerner Corp. campus means Tiner’s new complex will have many potential renters. “The deal I’m excited about is, when you get upscale apartments, you’re looking at having more house sales,� said Tiner, who also developed the Bonner Springs single-family neighborhood Lei

Valley, where house prices in the last decade have gone from a maximum of $190,000 to a maximum of $320,000. Edwin Birch, public information officer for the county, said four other apartment complexes are in the works in western Wyandotte County, with a total of more than 1,480 apartment units. The most visible apartments, immediately west of the retail area, will be the $34 million

Village West Luxury Apartments, a 306-unit complex that broke ground Jan. 18 at 110th Street and Stadium Drive. The apartments, which will include attached and detached garages, walking trails, clubhouse, and an interior water feature, are expected to be complete by September. At the groundbreaking of the apartments, Joe Reardon, Mayor and CEO of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kan., reflected on the housing developments that the county’s growth has spurred. “We’ve focused on this amazing asset here in Village West, and we decided long ago to invest in economic development projects that would attract people to work and live in our community like the high-quality jobs with Cerner. Those pieces of

the puzzle are forming together in an amazing way,â€? Reardon said. In addition to Tiner’s complex in Bonner Springs, to be called “The Villages,â€? other apartments in some stage of development are: • Delaware Ridge, under construction at State Avenue and 130th Street, with 228 one- to three-bedroom market rate units. • Prairie Heights, in the planning stages at State Avenue and 126th Street; market rate apartments to be built in five phases and consist of about 340 one- and two-bedroom units. • Raintree 1 LLC’s yet-to-benamed 592-unit, $50 million apartment complex at 1300 S. 94th St., Edwardsville, a project that has been in the works since 2007. Plans call for the one- to three-bedroom units to be built in two phases.

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Wyandotte County officials pin hopes on additional single-family homes NEW APARTMENT COMPLEXES may be popping up quickly in the next year, but the Unified Government is hoping housing across the county begins to grow at the same rate. The county and Board of Public Utilities this year are waiving certain fees for new home construction. The county also is moving forward with a plan aimed at improving housing in older areas of the county, called the Neighborhood Stabilization program. Edwin Birch, public information officer for the Unified Government, said that the Unified Government, Wyandotte Economic Development Council and BPU had two joint meetings with homebuilders, bankers and Realtors in November to inform them about the incentives aimed at sparking new singlefamily home construction in the county. The county is waiving building permit, inspection and sewer-connection fees this year for single-family home construction on lots platted prior to August 2012. Group members shared their thoughts on the incentive program and offered suggestions on how the entities could all work together to build out some of the existing subdivisions, which eventually led into the discussion of more model homes and the upfront expense that makes it even

riskier and challenging for the developer to build them. The county also is looking at improving housing options in older areas with the Neighborhood Stabilization Program 3, aimed at eliminating abandoned, foreclosed and tax-delinquent property. Thanks to the program, 16 new threebedroom, two-bath homes are under construction in the 2200 block of Quindaro Boulevard, one of the areas the county identified as being hardest hit by blight. Housing and Urban Development mandated the use of a mapping tool using Census tract information to identify the foreclosure risk factor. The results of this mapping tool directed the program to the area from 10th through 27th streets along Quindaro. Interested buyers will be required to attend an eight-hour HUD approved homebuyer counseling session. “The vacant lots that are now occupied by new homes are a great success story in the area of greatest need,� said Nathan Barnes, Unified Government commissioner who represents the area. “The people who have ties with the community understand that these new residential homes prove there is a desire to move back into the neighborhood if a diverse supply of housing is available.�

Shopping opportunities now include Sam’s Club By Ann Margret MONTEMAYOR

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he fate of the Legend Outlets shopping area is still unknown in 2013, but 2012 was a year of new stores and restaurants for the popular destination. KKR Real Estate Fund Holdings bid $131.5 million for the shopping center at an auction Jan. 25, but no information about a final deal has been released. Page Communications Principal Lee Page, who handles public relations for the Legends Outlets, said he couldn’t comment on the sale. On the retail side, March saw two new stores when Uniform Destination, offering medical scrubs opened, followed by Dress Barn, a women’s fashion retailer Crazy 8, a fashion retailer for children, held its grand opening in August and Toys ‘R’ Us opened in October in time for the holiday shopping season. Page Communications

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Representative Jenna Smith said there aren’t any new stores announced yet for 2013 other than Five and Dime General Store, which is set to open this spring The only new restaurant last year was Chiusano’s Brick Oven Pizzeria, a locally owned and operated brick oven-style pizzeria. It replaced Cheeseburger in Paradise. Several businesses decided to close last year, including Rack Room, Palmer’s Candies and Ice Cream and Nick and Willy’s Pizza. Outside of the Legends Outlets, Kansas City, Kan., got its own Sam’s Club in October, in the Plaza at the Speedway shopping center. It’s opening ceremony was a big event for the county, and Joe Reardon, mayor and CEO of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kan., and county commissioners attended the event. Its opening added 175 jobs to the area.

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8 Wyandotte County

Kansas Speedway to debut road course in August

By Justin NUTTER

jnutter@theworldco.info

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ince first opening its gates in 2001, Kansas Speedway has established itself as one of the premier venues in all of stock car racing. Beginning this summer, it will have the opportunity to make its mark “inside” the oval. A new, 2.37-mile infield road course will make its national debut under the lights on Aug. 16 when the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series and Continental Sports Car Challenge Series make their first-ever stop in Kansas. “In some way, shape or form, (a road course) has always been talked about at the speedway,” said Chris Schwartz, vice president of marketing and sales. “It started to become reality four or five years ago as the casino license started to become a reality. We’re excited about it. It exposes the speedway to a group of people that normally wouldn’t be thinking about us.” Construction of the new track began when Kansas Speedway began repaving its oval after the STP 400 on April 22, 2012. The track was completed on Sept. 22 and first tested by Grand-Am racing teams at a public event on Oct. 28-29. “The drivers, they absolutely gushed about the challenge of the course, how fast it was, and the setting,” Schwartz said. “That’s something we take great pride in: representing Kansas City and the region. We passed our first test, if you will, with flying colors.” In addition to road racing, the new track will allow for Formula One, motorcycle and go-cart events. The addition of Kansas to the Grand-

Am schedule gives local road racing fans the chance to see events they used to have to travel across multiple state lines to attend. The next-closest event on the 2013 schedule will take place nearly 500 miles away, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Kansas Speedway joins Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, as new additions to the road racing schedule. The inaugural race in August will mark just the third time Kansas has played host to a night event since lights were added to the track in early 2011. “Road racing is pretty spectacular,” said Herb Branham, Grand-Am’s managing director of communications. “There’s a lot of action, which is really even more highlighted with the headlights on. It’s a pretty great spectacle. All the stars are aligned for this to be a great debut for Grand-Am at Kansas Speedway.” Branham added that Kansas is already considered a top candidate for Grand-Am’s joint schedule with the American Le Mans Series in 2014. The organizations announced a merger in September. Fans can already purchase tickets for the inaugural Grand-Am event, but additional event details have yet to be announced. The speedway will open its 2013 racing schedule on April 20-21 with the SPF 250 and the STP 400 — the first two of six events. “Our schedule this year is one that we’re proud of,” Schwartz said. “We’ve got a busy season at the speedway, but we’re looking forward to a great year.”

MLS All-Star game coming to KC Sporting Park KANSAS CITY SPORTS FANS got a taste of the national spotlight when the Major League Baseball All-Star Game made its way to Kauffman Stadium last July. As it turns out, the city won’t have to wait long to once again play host to some of the country’s top athletes. On Jan. 10, Major League Soccer announced Sporting Park — home of Sporting Kansas City since June 2011 — as the host of the 18th annual All-Star Game, to be played in front of a national television audience on July 31. “We like to make a push for all the big events,” said Rob Thomson, executive vice president of communications at Sporting Park. “Since our stadium opened a year and a half ago, we’ve had some huge events. Whether it’s the attention or other players seeing our stadium, we love being on the big stage.” The MLS All-Stars will play an international team to be announced at a later date. They earned a 3-2 win against Chelsea in last year’s All-Star Game, played at the Philadelphia Union’s PPL Park. The All-Stars are 6-2-1 all-time against international clubs. Similar to MLB All-Star weekend, there will be events in the days preceding the game itself. A schedule has yet to be announced. “You’ll see a ton of major soccer celebrities and stars in town,” Thomson said. “There will be huge community events that will benefit local charities, and there will be other big festivities, parties,

gala events and dinners. MLS does a good job with their events.” Sporting Kansas City — formerly the Kansas City Wizards — is the last of the 10 original MLS teams to play host to an All-Star game, but the franchise has hardly been short on thrills in recent years. The team defeated Manchester United in 2010 at Arrowhead Stadium in front of a crowd of more than 55,000, and thousands of fans flocked to Kansas City’s Power and Light District that same year for a team-sponsored World Cup watch party. Marquee events — several not directly related to Sporting KC — have been just w w as prevalent since the team moved to Sporting Park. The United States men’s and women’s national teams have each made stops in Kansas City, and the stadium was one of just three venues to play host to a CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) men’s Olympic qualifying tournament last spring. Fans haven’t just shown up for special events, either, as Sporting KC sold out 17 of its 18 home games last year, including a U.S. Open Cup victory against the Seattle Sounders on Aug. 9. “That’s just one more example of the work that’s been done in Kansas City,” Thomson said. “It started with our fans and the support they’ve shown. They understand the game; they’re very wellversed in soccer, which has been a spedup process in the last four or five years.”

Progress

2013 9

Improvements planned for highways, bus routes throughout county By Ann Margret MONTEMAYOR

I

mproving transportation for drivers and transit riders has been a priority for Wyandotte County during the last year. With a new bus route and work about to begin at Kansas Highway 7 and U.S. Interstate 70, transportation officials are hoping residents find it easier to get where they’re going. THE INTERCHANGE After suppressing some of its fears about Kansas Department of Transportation’s K-7/I-70 interchange project, the city of Bonner Springs decided to submit revisions for its memorandum of understanding in November. Despite the uncertainty of the memorandum, KDOT metro engineer Jim Pickett doesn’t expect the debate over revised plans to delay the project’s first phase. “We both, the city and us, have tried to understand the other’s position and do our best in accommodating that,� Pickett said. The $300 million interchange project is separated into 10 phases, including single-point urban interchanges at K-7 and Kansas Avenue and K-7 and 130th Street. The first three phases should take about two years to complete. Since the project’s inception, Bonner Springs has had concerns about KDOT’s proposal, but it wasn’t until the city of Olathe backed out of its memorandum of understanding last year that it decided to ask for revisions, Bonner Springs City Manager John “Jack� Helin said. Helin said the city’s main concern with the project is that construction would move forward whether or not the improvements were truly needed according to traffic calculations. Construction of new interchanges could also harm the business community, Helin said, and without specific deadlines for all phases, it’s hard to attract new businesses. Some of the city’s revisions include determining a “no earlier than� date before work would begin on interchanges beyond the I-70 interchange and examining actual traffic counts that would be reached before any interchange is constructed. When Bonner Springs City Council members approved a memorandum of understanding in November, they also agreed the city will terminate the memorandum unless satisfactory revisions are made. Neither KDOT nor Bonner Springs

amontemayor@theworldco.info officials think it will come to that, however. “We said ‘Let’s come up with a mutually agreeable plan,’� Helin said. “We are at a critical junction and we understand the responsibility of cooperating with KDOT to move traffic.� Pickett said KDOT will respond to the revisions soon, but he doesn’t foresee a problem working with the city’s concerns. “We’ve broken the overall project into phases that can be constructed when they’re needed,� he said. “We don’t want to build anything until it’s needed.� Pickett said the first phase of the project will likely start on time this spring with rebuilding the Riverview Avenue Bridge and realigning 122nd Street and Riverview Avenue. The interchange project had been funded through phase 3 and recently gained funding through the design and right of way acquisition of phase 4 by federal earmark funds. Although the project hasn’t technically broken ground, the city of Bonner Springs is already preparing for the first phases. Helin said the city is preparing to take bids in March for the relocation of utilities along the corridor to 134th Street. As soon as the first phase is completed in fall 2014, drivers will start to reap the benefits of the project, Pickett said. For more information about the interchange project, visit k7andi70interchange.org. NEW ROUTE While two transit centers along the new State Avenue/KCK Connex bus line are still under construction, the route has already proved to be a popular among riders. The 14-mile route runs from 10th and Main in downtown Kansas City, Mo., through downtown Kansas City, Kan., and ends at Village West at 109th Street and Parallel Parkway. Edwin Birch, Unified Government public information officer, said ridership for all Wyandotte County routes is expected to surpass 1.3 million when numbers are in for 2012, which is a 15 percent increase from 2010. Once completed, the new transit centers in downtown Kansas City, Kan., and Indian Springs are expected to play a large role in the entire transit system. “More than half (of riders) will go through the new metro and Indian Springs centers,� Birch said.

After breaking ground in July 2012, the Downtown Kansas City, Kan., MetroCenter, at Seventh Street and Minnesota, is expected to be completed in June. Officials broke ground on the Midtown KCK MetroCenter, at 47th and State Avenue, in September and expect it to be completed in August of this year. Once completed, the transit centers should lead to a quicker ride from downtown Kansas City, Mo., to western Wyandotte County, said Emerick Cross, UG transportation director. “Transit riders and community members have all expressed great enthusiasm and interest in all of these new transit ventures,� Cross said. CONNEX transportation enhancements are going well, Cross added, and he’s received positive feedback from transit riders.

“In general, our transit riders are very grateful for the improvements and are looking forward to seeing the final product,� he said. Even though construction isn’t complete on the new transit centers, ridership rates have proved the success of the new route, Birch said. In October, growing passenger demand on Saturdays meant new larger buses for the KCK Connex route. Providing hourly trips between 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Saturdays, the route averaged 860 riders before the bus upgrade and 960 after larger buses were put in service “This definitely goes to show a commitment by Unified Government to respond to requests from residents to improve the transit system,� Birch said. “Our buses are full.� To view route maps and times, visit kcata.org.

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10 Wyandotte County

Recreational opportunities abound

By Stephen MONTEMAYOR

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he water boils — and, in winter, little icebergs crash — at the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri rivers at Kaw Point Park. Seen as a sacred point by Native Americans centuries ago and explored by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark in the early 1800s, the point, and a surrounding park, is ready to be discovered again. “The magic of this park is the confluence of the two rivers,� Kaw Point Park chairman Mike Calwell said. “People are always enchanted by rivers. You just can’t help the feeling of when you stand and see two rivers crash together. And at night it’s really an unparalleled scene when it takes on a rainbow color.� Recreation opportunities abound in Wyandotte County and some, like Kaw Point Park, converge leisure with history. Calwell and a board of directors gathered to renovate the park after the 1993 flood and years of neglect. What had become more or less a junkyard transformed into a 10-acre park that in October was designated as a Natural Historic Trail Destination. Now,

smontemayor@theworldco.info with the oversight of a board of directors and scores of annual volunteers, Kaw Point Park is as attractive as ever. “You can get amazing stuff done with 200 people on a 10-acre piece of property,� Calwell said. Another recent addition is a $2.5 million natural stone amphitheater. At the Confluence of Nations Plaza, the focal point of the park, flags from 19 regional native tribes are represented and an open-air education pavilion describes the events of Lewis and Clark’s 1804 stay at the point. A 24-hour boat ramp was constructed in 2004 at the confluence of the two rivers and 600 yards of biking and hiking trails line the park, also open 24 hours a day. “When people come through, I never fail to hear someone say, ‘Man, what a cool place; how come I didn’t know about it?’� Calwell said. SPEND A DAY AT THE LAKE Wyandotte County Lake Park offers recreation opportunities as diverse as the park is expansive. Scenic nature and bridle trails surround the lake and the F.L. Schlagle Nature Library provides a stop for

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exhibits of the various native wildlife from around the lake area. The library is also host to the annual Eagle Day Celebration, which typically takes place each year in late January or early February. Up to a dozen species of fish can be caught in the 407-acre lake. Edwin Birch, public information officer for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kan., also said the Kansas University women’s rowing team will use the lake on occasion. Birch called the lake one of the hottest recreation spots in Wyandotte County, with fishermen and boaters a presence year round. With 16 shelters surrounding the lake, Birch said, the lake is a popular destination for many living both within and outside the county. Wyandotte County Park in the northern tip of Bonner Springs is also a popular destination, and is also the site of multiple high school cross-country meets each fall. For a full list of the dozens of parks in Wyandotte County, visit wycokck. org. SOCCER FIELDS STILL FORTHCOMING Birch said that while basketball

remains a popular youth activity across Wyandotte County, soccer has continued to swell in popularity. A growing Hispanic population coupled with the presence of Sporting Kansas City — and the franchise’s promise to build a new 18-field tournamentquality soccer complex at Wyandotte County Park — has helped stoke the sport’s popularity in the area, Birch said. The soccer fields were part of the deal that brought Sporting Park and the Cerner office development to the VillageWest area. Though Sporting KC’s late 2012 target passed without ground breaking on the project, the club insists it is committed to building the fields, which would be placed along the northern areas of the park with others near the Wyandotte County Historical Museum. “We’re trying to make this the best project for as many people as possible,� Sporting KC spokesman Rob Thompson said. “If we rolled it out two years ago, it wouldn’t have been as robust as we are trying to make it now.� Thompson said more news from the club would come soon, calling recent

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Progress media reports indicating Sporting KC had reneged on its promise “unfair.� “We set the deadline with this, and it is something we are prioritizing, something that makes the most amount of sense for people,� Thompson said. Added Birch, “It’s taking a little bit longer than what had been expected. They want to make sure everything is the best quality, just like their own soccer stadium.� GO 18 HOLES Sunflower Hills Golf Course, 12200 Riverview Road, Bonner Springs, is home to the annual Wyandotte County Open, the longest running tournament of its kind in the greater Kansas City area. Wyandotte County is also home to Dub’s Dread Golf Course, 12601 Hollingsworth Road, Kansas City, Kan., and Painted Hills Golf Course, 7101 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kan. Dub’s Dread was named one of the state’s top 10 golf courses by Golf Digest in 1996 and since it opened in the early 1960s has seen golfers such as Byron Nelson, Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus try to solve it. Painted Hills is adorned by tree-lined fairways and features a banquet facility capable of serving up to 275 guests or an additional 125 on its veranda overlooking the golf course.

EVEN MORE • Reservations for community or recreation centers can be made in person at the Unified Government’s administration office, 5033 State Ave. Birch said the community centers fill up around holidays and are popular for annual arts and craft events. • Both Kansas City, Kan., and Kansas City, Mo., mayors celebrated the completion of the bi-state Kansas and Missouri Bike Trail project in late 2012.

The concept for the Riverfront Heritage Trail came about more than 14 years ago. Designed as a fully accessible, welllit bicycle and pedestrian pathway, the trail extends from the riverfront through some of the most historic parts of bi-state Kansas City. • An ongoing partnership with the Kansas City T-Bones minor league baseball franchise, the Wyandotte County Parks Foundation and the Unified Government continues to produce

2013 11

accessible playgrounds in the county. The new playgrounds, the latest of which was unveiled near the main entrance of Wyandotte County Lake Park, are part of an effort to build playgrounds throughout the county that are accessible per the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. • Schlitterbahn Kansas City Waterpark begins its fifth season in 2013 and second in which visitors will get the park’s full experience after years of expansion. Lodging and retail developments are still in the works, but the park’s aquatic amenities are now at full strength. The park’s 2013 season extends from May 24 to Sept. 2. The full 2013 season price for ages 12-54 is $124.99, although an early-bird special of $109.99 is still under way at schlitterbahn.com. Meanwhile, ages 3-11 and 55 and older can save $10 off the full 2013 price of $84.99. General admission in 2013 will run from $28.99 for an all-day pass for children and seniors and $36.99 for ages 12-54. • A plow once owned by President Harry Truman is among the more than 300,000 agricultural relics on display at the National Agriculture Hall of Fame. In 1960, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued a rare federal charter to the National Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame, also called the Ag Center, to serve as a national museum of agriculture as well as a memorial to farmers.

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Wyandotte County: another season of spectacular growth. Despite challenging economic times, Wyandotte County continues to expand, move and grow in every direction.

We’re seeing new living opportunities from apartment homes; new shopping opportunities through Sam’s Club; recreation attractions through

a world-class soccer field, family waterparks, NASCAR track and biking trails; technological and corporate hubs through Cerner and Google; and jobs expansion from all of this. Take a look and see how Wyandotte County is indeed growing places!

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