Plans for the much-discussed $320 million “ultra-accessible” STAR bond entertainment and sports district at 119th Street and Renner Boulevard in Olathe are starting to firm up.
The project includes a multisport complex, a fully accessible amusement park, a hotel and other features.
On Monday, the Olathe Planning Commission voted 8-0 to recommend approving a zoning amendment and preliminary site development plan, making way for the first part of the project plan within the Sales Tax and Revenue bond special incentive district. The zoning amendment also comes with a 140-page zoning and design standards agreement for the development.
Additionally, as part of the consent agenda, the planning commission voted in favor of a preliminary site development plan tied to an associated parking lot containing nearly 900 parking spots.
Commissioner Tony Bergida was absent from the meeting.
Amusement park, sports arena planned in Olathe Gateway
- The centerpieces are an 11-acre ultra-accessible amusement park with a sports theme and a 5,500-seat sports arena that emphasizes youth sports and hockey.
- There will also be a 160-room hotel and 10 commercial pad sites for future retail and dining development.
- Plus, there will be a park space as well as a centrally-located gathering space for community events and other activities.
- There is also space for a “future destination entertainment user,” according to staff documents, but it’s unclear what that could be at this point.
- Nearby, the developer hopes to also open a medical office building called a Multi-Assistance Center to offer a range of health, support and other services for individuals who have disabilities.
- It all falls within the city’s planned zoning district called Olathe Gateway, which is intended to serve as a front door of sorts to the community.
- Read more about the incentives the project is expected to receive here.
STAR bond project is designed “for families”
The project draws inspiration from a young boy named Michael, who was born with a rare genetic condition that requires him to use a wheelchair and a feeding tube.
James Arkell, his father and vice president of the real estate and development firm Loretto, said the goal “is to build something that does not exist anywhere else in the world.”
Arkell has said it has been difficult to find fun things for the whole family to do that could include Michael and his three older siblings. Even places that tried to accommodate different disabilities were not fully accessible to Michael.
“What we’re designing here is for families. It is designed for my family,” Arkell said. He runs Loretto and its affiliated companies with his father-in-law, Lamar Hunt Jr.
The plan is to offer free admission to the amusement park piece of the district to individuals who have disabilities, while charging an estimated $25 ticket for everyone else.
Loretto has also partnered with KC-based VanTrust Real Estate on the project.
Next steps:
- The site plan and zoning amendment for the amusement park and sports complex part of the STAR bond district head to the Olathe City Council for consideration next.
- Additionally, there are still a few hurdles to clear before the project can become a reality, including the formal issuance of the STAR bonds.
- The plan is to break ground on the site in spring 2025, said Justin Duff, vice president of development for VanTrust.
Keep reading: Olathe clears way for Hunt family-backed entertainment complex
