Three Trails Project including Wizards Stadium clears Final Hurdle (Grain Valley: appointed, 2015)

[northbound74]

Originally Posted by RjRobb2

The owners of Metro North Mall have intentionally kept the mall partially empty to use it as a tax write-off. I have known people that attempted to rent space and were turned down because they needed to keep the mall a certain percent empty to get the tax benefits. That mall is nothing but a tax write-off and the owners have no intentions to get that mall going again.

Those are the kind of things I think the city could have prevented.

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by RjRobb2

The owners of Metro North Mall have intentionally kept the mall partially empty to use it as a tax write-off. I have known people that attempted to rent space and were turned down because they needed to keep the mall a certain percent empty to get the tax benefits. That mall is nothing but a tax write-off and the owners have no intentions to get that mall going again. It needs to be torn down. Hopefully, they can get that going soon.

I’m sorry, but I’m not buying that.

First off. What tax benefits? In 2006, when the mall was already in decline, the owners probably started saying no to new leases because the mall was to be redeveloped very soon, but that was a very short time period and even that I don’t buy because many retailers would have simply moved into the new mall. It has nothing to do with tax breaks. It’s hard to redevelop a property when you have 150 odd ball long term leases. That’s why malls have to practically close before they get extensively redeveloped.

Metro North Mall is failing because it’s a mall (which as fallen out of style) and because of Northland growth patterns.

What happened was up till the past ten years there was only one location of all major chains at that was right in the middle of the northland. When the Northland started booming, there quickly became room for two locations of everything, but the middle and one side didn’t work, so many stores closed near 169 and opened two new stores at Barry and 29 and Barry and 35.

Growth is still going crazy up there and eventually there will be enough houses for many stores to open back up “in the middle” of the northland and that is already happening. There is now a Target, Best Buy etc at Barry and 29, 35 and 169.

It will probably take another 5-10 years before the northland can handle another major retail mall or lifestyle (zona rosa) center at 169.

In the mean time, I think Metro North will take whatever it can get although I’m sure most will be short term leases. That Mall will either be torn down or extensively rebuilt in the next 5-10 years or whenever the commercial economy bounces back.

[RjRobb2]

Originally Posted by northbound74

Those are the kind of things I think the city could have prevented.

Why is that?

As a business owner, the mall should be able to operate as they please as long as they are not breaking any law. Government needs to stay out of stuff like that.

[RjRobb2]

Originally Posted by kcmo

I’m sorry, but I’m not buying that.

Well, I know this is true for two reasons.

1) A friend of mine owns a store and wanted to lease space. He tried for several years and was turned down even though there were tons of open spots. He was willing to pay the price they were asking too.

2) My mother managed a store there for years and had a hell of a time renewing their lease when it was up because they were needing to keep a certain number of spots empty. The mall manager told her that there is a piece of tax code that allows tax breaks for multiple unit business complexes like malls if they have a certain percentage of stores empty. That is where the tax breaks come in.

This goes back to before 2006, this goes back about a decade. If you go to the mall now, you will notice that there are hardly any signs about leasing space even though they were about 20 slots open for stores. You would think that if the mall owner wanted to lease space they would have it plastered with signs but they dont.

[northbound74]

Originally Posted by RjRobb2

Why is that?

As a business owner, the mall should be able to operate as they please as long as they are not breaking any law. Government needs to stay out of stuff like that.

I don't like government intrusion either, but I do think that at the local level, sensible growth should be promoted.

I'm not in the loop on such things, and you probably know a lot more than I do about it, but I was thinking that maybe those tax breaks for being empty were a bad thing. I don't know, maybe bigger tax breaks to lure retail stores
to move in?
Then there's the growth pattern problem, I know, but those of us who live in the older areas would like some businesses to stay close by so we don't have to drive an extra 15 minutes just to eat at some fast food joint.

I claim ignorance on how these things work, and why they do what they do, but in Independence for example, the southeast part of the town is booming while Noland Road and most things west of it, are increasingly empty. I don't understand why I have to drive such a long distance to eat at fast food places like Popeyes and Chipotle, when there are plenty of good, available lots practically next door to me. I don't live in an abandoned neighborhood. All the houses around me are occupied and sell quickly. We're not all old people who never leave the house either.... I just don't get it.
I understand that there is a tendency to follow the money.
This just fuels my frustration of living in a large city. People seem to like to move further out just for the sake of living further out, it seems. No rhyme or reason, other than to have a bigger house with bigger closets or whatever. More room for more crap, I guess.
The houses in my area aren't empty, but the retail spaces are, and have been.. long before the economic downturn.

[bls5555]

Originally Posted by RjRobb2

Well, I know this is true for two reasons.

1) A friend of mine owns a store and wanted to lease space. He tried for several years and was turned down even though there were tons of open spots. He was willing to pay the price they were asking too.

2) My mother managed a store there for years and had a hell of a time renewing their lease when it was up because they were needing to keep a certain number of spots empty. The mall manager told her that there is a piece of tax code that allows tax breaks for multiple unit business complexes like malls if they have a certain percentage of stores empty. That is where the tax breaks come in.

This goes back to before 2006, this goes back about a decade. If you go to the mall now, you will notice that there are hardly any signs about leasing space even though they were about 20 slots open for stores. You would think that if the mall owner wanted to lease space they would have it plastered with signs but they dont.

While not quite the same, in my short time here I have heard that this same something like this is going on in the shops that are off of I-29 and 64th street across from McDonalds and Hen House. The things are vacant except for CVS. From what I have heard they are holding out for a sale so something like Costco can move in.

[MoNative34]

Looks like the Wizards are considering KCK.

KC Wizards Look At Stadium In KCK - Sports News Story - KCTV Kansas City

[RjRobb2]

Originally Posted by bls5555

While not quite the same, in my short time here I have heard that this same something like this is going on in the shops that are off of I-29 and 64th street across from McDonalds and Hen House. The things are vacant except for CVS. From what I have heard they are holding out for a sale so something like Costco can move in.

That CVS has a 99 year lease and the buyout is astronomically high. So far, no retailers have been willing to meet it. Somethings needs to be done with that area though. It looks terrible and almost everything is gone.

[RjRobb2]

Originally Posted by MoNative34

Looks like the Wizards are considering KCK.

KC Wizards Look At Stadium In KCK - Sports News Story - KCTV Kansas City

I was just coming here to post that.

The city has stalled the Three Trails project because they dont want to use their credit to back the bonds.

The Bannister Mall demolition was completed about two months ago and nothing has taken place since.

KCK has offered a sweet deal for OnGoal and at this point, I dont see them turning it down unless this forces KC to act.

OnGoal has said that they really want Three Trails to work but they need a stadium now, not 5-10 years from now.

They have been selling out nearly every game at CAB and Legends is already a proven development.

Not to mention that this will be the state of Kansas' first professional sports team.

[skrizzle]

Originally Posted by RjRobb2

I was just coming here to post that.

The city has stalled the Three Trails project because they dont want to use their credit to back the bonds.

The Bannister Mall demolition was completed about two months ago and nothing has taken place since.

KCK has offered a sweet deal for OnGoal and at this point, I dont see them turning it down unless this forces KC to act.

OnGoal has said that they really want Three Trails to work but they need a stadium now, not 5-10 years from now.

They have been selling out nearly every game at CAB and Legends is already a proven development.

Not to mention that this will be the state of Kansas' first professional sports team.

There is my problem with it, Wizards are KCMO... not KCK, I also don't like the idea that Cerner is going to be creating jobs there and not in MO where it's HQ'd. They are in NKC now, i'd prefer if they are going to build out of NKC it was in downtown instead...

But thats how it goes...