Unified Government Commissioners are expected to vote on The Woodlands’ special use permit at the 7 p.m. meeting April 27 at City Hall, lobby level, Commissioners Chambers, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kan.
The permit is a key to The Woodlands’ horse track reopening with slots at 97th and Leavenworth Road in Kansas City, Kan. The track has been closed since 2008.
Seven hundred fifty slot machines may be added to race horse gambling at the track if it is approved. Developers said they would invest $70 million in renovating or rebuilding The Woodlands.
If the permit is approved by the UG Commission, The Woodlands’ owner, Phil Ruffin, who is a Las Vegas casino owner, plans to either renovate or rebuild the horse track building.
The special use permit was approved at a Planning Commission meeting on an 8-2 vote on April 11, and 14 stipulations were added to the permit, in addition to the previous three stipulations. The stipulations concerned traffic, stormwater, lighting and noise, a development agreement, prevailing wage, and other items.
The UG planning staff concurs with the decision of the Planning Commission, according to the agenda, and recommends approval, with the stipulations.
The special use permit has been opposed by the nearby Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway and a group called Protect the Partnership. According to some comments at a public meeting earlier this month, some of those who oppose it want a development agreement to be signed between the UG and The Woodlands before the special use permit is approved. Opponents said they wanted the horse track to make bigger contributions to the community, including more charitable contributions, and donations to all of Wyandotte County school districts, not just property tax to one district. Others wanted more development at The Woodlands to make it a larger tourism magnet. About 31 people opposed it at the Planning Commission meeting.
The Woodlands had some supporters at the Planning Commission meeting and also had a large turnout, estimated at more than 100, at an earlier neighborhood meeting. Supporters include the Leavenworth Road Association, some persons who enjoyed visiting The Woodlands in the past, and also some persons who were associated with the race horse industry.
A bill is in the Kansas Legislature that would allow the horse track owners to receive a higher percentage of the proceeds than the current law. The current law says horse track owners would pay 40 percent of the slots proceeds to the state, as compared to 22 percent of gaming revenues that casinos pay to the state.
Many other planning and zoning items are on Thursday night’s agenda.
A special meeting at 5 p.m. on the fifth floor of City Hall will discuss a United Healthcare report and a Fire Department update.
To see the agenda for the 7 p.m. meeting, visit http://wycokck.boardsync.com/Web/UserControls/DocPreview.aspx?p=1&aoid=231
To see an earlier story about the special use permit approval by the Planning Commission on April 11, visit https://wyandotteonline.com/planning-commission-approves-permit-for-woodlands-reopening/.