Opinion
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by Murrel Bland
If all goes well, the American Royal will break ground this fall on its new complex.
That was the message that Mayor David Alvey delivered at the summer membership meeting of Business West Wednesday, July 10, at the Rowe Ridge Vineyard and Winery in the Piper community. About 30 persons attended.
The American Royal Association announced in 2016 that it will move from the West Bottoms of Kansas City, Missouri, to a location in Village West in Wyandotte County.
The complex will be “an ideal location for a variety of food and agriculture events,” according to its website, www.americanroyal.com. The new location will be larger with more space for exhibitors, vendors and spectators. An events complex will offer 300,000 square feet of exhibit space and an arena that will seat up to 8,000 persons.
The American Royal is expected to attract various complementary retail development. The new complex is being financed with sales tax bonds from the state of Kansas and private donations.
Mayor Alvey talked about the challenges he faces as a public official. One such challenge was the need to manage storm water. He said he is well aware of the problem. He lives in the former Shawnee Township in Wyandotte County without the benefit of storm sewers. When it rains a lot, the mayor has water in his basement.
The mayor learned that certain businesses and nonprofit organizations in western Wyandotte County, including Business West members, are concerned about excessive fees for storm water treatment. Some of these businesses invested substantial amounts by building very costly retention ponds. The mayor was told that such businesses need to receive credits for their investments in abatement fees.
Mayor Alvey said in looking at the 2020 budget for the Unified Government, it was necessary to hold the line with no rate increase while paying down debt.
The mayor was rather humorous when he commented about how to deal with the population challenge in Wyandotte County. He suggested jokingly that younger couples have more children. He also joked that a wall needs to be built on County Line Road and that Johnson County would have to pay for it.
Murrel Bland is the former editor of The Wyandotte West and The Piper Press.