• About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Pickem Terms and Conditions
Monday, July 4, 2022
The Platte County Landmark Newspaper
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem!
    • Login / Sign-up
    • Results by Week
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem!
    • Login / Sign-up
    • Results by Week
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish
No Result
View All Result
The Platte County Landmark Newspaper
No Result
View All Result

Soccer complex plans kickin’

Valerie Verkamp by Valerie Verkamp
November 7, 2019
in Local News
5
SHARES
121
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare via Email

Platte Countians–and the Northland–are one step closer to seeing a $42 million sports complex in Twin Creeks in Platte County near the Clay County line.

On Monday, the Platte County Commission unanimously approved a financing agreement with Kansas City, the Tax Increment Financing Commission of Kansas City and the Industrial Development Authority of Platte County to make $17 million in public infrastructure improvements associated with the proposed complex.

RelatedNews

Evergy catching static

Parkville sanctuary is a chance to connect with nature

Splash park fun

The most highly anticipated project is a tournament style sports complex, including 12 soccer fields.

The request for qualifications/proposals on the project officially calls for 12 synthetic turf multi-purpose fields with lighting. One field will be a stadium field with grandstand and expansion seating.

Also planned: a minimum of three concession/restroom/play areas, a park with multi-sport courts such as pickle ball, basketball and nature trails, a 15,000 sq. ft. field house, festival grounds with a stage, and pedestrian trail connections to linear park, school and neighborhoods.

“As a recovering soccer mom, I could not be more pleased about this project,” said Dagmar Wood, first district commissioner for Platte County.

Alicia Stephens, former Platte County EDC executive director now a contractor for the EDC, said that the City of Kansas City is in the process of choosing a contractor, which has to be approved by the city council.

“Part of the contract will be to design the complex on the property that’s been chose with the items noted above. We had a firm do a conceptual drawing for us and the site is pretty tight, not much wiggle room to move things around,” Stephens said.

For years, Platte County families have had to drive to Overland Park to attend youth soccer tournaments, she added. This venue, a City of Kansas City project, will greatly benefit soccer families and have a positive impact on the local economy, including the hotel, lodging and restaurant industries, said Wood.

Plans are for 12 soccer fields with multiple use, for football and lacrosse and two of the fields are championship quality with a community center there as well with other amenities. Kansas City officials have said the idea is to do commercial development on the edges of the park.

The proposed sports complex infrastructure improvements will be made along N. Platte Purchase Drive, between NE 100th Street and NE 108th Street.

The process of identifying the basic infrastructure needs for this rural stretch of land began back in 2010 with a Twin Creeks Task Force.

“One piece of the work that did not get completed (by the Twin Creeks Task Force) was determining what destination might be a good match for Platte County,” said Stephens.

That’s when a Destination Subcommittee was organized and tasked with interviewing households and analyzing data. Based upon their research, the committee determined there was a real need to bring youth sports to Platte County, particularly soccer.

From there, the Platte County Economic Development Council hired Canyon Research Southwest Inc. to evaluate the market demand for youth soccer fields and its economic impact on Platte County.

Canyon Research punched the numbers and drew up a preliminary plan for a tournament quality soccer complex at Platte Purchase Park, just north of 152 Highway off Platte Purchase Drive.

“Despite supporting 16 percent of the Major League Soccer population, the Northland maintains just 9.2 percent of the soccer field inventory. This imbalance in the number of soccer fields and the unmet demand is evidence that the Northland can support the near-term construction of additional soccer fields,” states the study.

Funding Matt Webster speaking on behalf of the Platte County Industrial Development Authority said Monday’s financing agreement raises $17 million for the public infrastructure costs associated with the planned sports complex.

Presiding Platte County Commissioner Ron Schieber pointed out the financial agreement merely re-pledges a revenue stream to pay existing debt for basic improvements.

Though the years, Webster said, Tax Increment Financing has been used to build public roads, stretching from Interstate 29 on the west and the county line on the east.

“These are bond obligations that have been issued by the Industrial Development Authority, which is a separate subdivision of the state, the only requirement that the county has in this case, is to turn over 50 percent of the sales tax within the tax increment district. Fifty percent of sales taxes within tax increment district are taxable under TIF and the city’s sales taxes are used to pay for bonds.”

Webster said this was the first step in the financing of the sports complex. Down the road, another $25 million will be needed from separate sources in Kansas City. So far, two teams have submitted proposals to design, build, operate and maintain the proposed sports complex.

Additionally, the financing agreement will fund 50 other public improvements, including replacing Line Creek Parkway with a four-lane thoroughfare from Old Tiffany Springs Road to the entrance of a new Platte County R-3 School District complex. The Line Creek project will cost $2,793,129.

Water and sewer improvements from 108th Street to Platte Purchase Park will also be underway. That project is another $1.2 million.

All public improvement projects will begin immediately.

Tags: dagmar woodplatte countyron schiebertax incentivestaxes
Valerie Verkamp

Valerie Verkamp

Valerie decided she wanted to be a newspaper reporter when she was 28 years old and she successfully convinced the editor of the Platte County Landmark to give it 30 days. Now with The Landmark for over a decade, she has written countless stories on local government, education, lawsuits, community news, crime, and the prison system. Valerie hails from Park University with a BA in Elementary Education and a post-baccalaureate degree in paralegal studies from Penn Valley Community College. She has received honorable mention for Best Government News Story and joined her Landmark colleagues as recipient of the General Excellence Award in the Better Newspaper Contest sponsored by the Missouri Press Association.

Related Posts

Fireworks, Greitens, sashes

Fireworks display in Platte City

by Ivan Foley
July 3, 2022
0

There is a fireworks show set in Platte City the night of Monday, July 4. The fireworks display will begin at 10 p.m. at the campus of Platte County R-3 School District along Hwy. 92 in Platte City. There will...

Dunk tank

Downtown Platte City free festival set July 4th

by Ivan Foley
July 3, 2022
0

Free food, games, entertainment from 10-2 Platte City's downtown July 4th Celebration will kick off at 10 a.m. on Monday, July 4. The event will run until 2 p.m. KC Wolf, mascot for the Kansas City Chiefs, will help get...

Parkville Mayor Dean Katerndahl

Landmark Live with Parkville’s new Mayor Dean Katerndahl

by Landmark Digital
July 2, 2022
0

https://youtu.be/Gt4UinmypLI Landmark Publisher Ivan Foley, Parkville's new Mayor Dean Katerndahl, and local musician Brad Carl chat about all things Parkville and other current events. hey everybody welcome in it's landmark live we are back after a long absence i'm ivan...

Evergy Platte City

Evergy catching static

by Ivan Foley
June 30, 2022
0

'The people and businesses of Platte City deserve reliable electricity' (EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first entry in a two-part series focusing on frequent power outages in a major portion of Platte City) Electrical provider Evergy is catching some static...

Next Post

Neglect is alleged at Riverside nursing center

Popular News

  • Mexican restaurant

    Mexican restaurant opens in Briarcliff Village

    91 shares
    Share 36 Tweet 23
  • Authorities seek two persons of interest in shooting

    31 shares
    Share 12 Tweet 8
  • Evergy catching static

    18 shares
    Share 7 Tweet 5
  • July 4th in Platte City: Free food, music, games

    43 shares
    Share 17 Tweet 11
  • Free food awaits July 4th Celebration attendees

    10 shares
    Share 4 Tweet 3
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Pickem Terms and Conditions
Call us at 816-858-0363

Copyright © 2019-2020 The Platte County Landmark Newspaper - All Rights Reserved

No Result
View All Result
  • Subscribe Online
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem
    • Results by Week
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish

Copyright © 2019-2020 The Platte County Landmark Newspaper - All Rights Reserved

Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?