Delays are inevitable, but so is progress -- at least perhaps in the minds of the Kansas City Wizards. After months of delays, the final piece of financing for the Three Trails' development in southeast Kansas City that will include a soccer-specific stadium for the Wizards has been approved.
Thursday, the Missouri Development Finance Board approved $30 million in state tax credits toward development of the site of the long dormant Bannister Mall, which sits near the intersection of three major highways and within a 20-minute drive of 1.1 million people. The Kansas City, Mo. city council gave its approval to the project back on Dec. 14, 2007. At the time, state approval was expected to go through by Jan. 31, 2008.
In a statement, Robb Heineman, CEO of Wizards ownership group OnGoal, LLC, said, "We are very appreciative of the Board coming to this conclusion. Our goal would be to start demolition as soon as possible. Obviously our economic situation is improved in a new stadium, so we have every incentive to move the project forward."
The planned project by LANE4 Property Group, costing close to $1 billion, includes an 18,500-seat stadium, 12 tournament quality-soccer fields, 590 hotel rooms, 1.133 million square feet of mixed-use retail, 1.7 million square feet of office space and 18,249 parking spaces.
Currently, the Wizards play at 10,385-seat CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Wyandotte County, Kansas, through an arrangement with the Kansas City T-Bones Northern League baseball team. The Wizards hope to move into the new stadium sometime during the 2010 season.
Bob Rusert is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
