The Great Bend City Council will be asked to play a role in projects that include a hotel with a nationally known brand and a restaurant on 10th Street, as well as major improvements to the Great Bend Expo Complex. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the City of Great Bend, Great Bend Economic Development and Great Bend Lodging LLC is on the agenda for the next Great Bend City Council meeting, at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7, at City Hall.
The meeting will be livestreamed for the public to view on the city council Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/gbcitycouncil.
The MOU would establish a Community Improvement District and a tax increment financing district, and the issuance of one or more series of Industrial Revenue Bonds to enable a sales tax exemption on construction materials, and a grant to be utilized for construction costs. The scope of this project includes a Hampton Inn (or brand of comparable quality and stature) hotel with approximately 80 rooms, at a cost of approximately $14 million.
The council will also be asked to approve a resolution for a public hearing on Oct. 21 to create a STAR Bond District. According to the agenda, “In conjunction with the proposed hotel and restaurants at 3017 10th St., City staff and GBED have been working with the State of Kansas on a proposed STAR bond project at the Great Bend Expo Complex. The work to take place may include but not be limited to improvements at the drag strip including increased seating capacity and additional amenities, a livestock arena with amenities, a banquet hall with four multi-purpose courts for sporting events, an amphitheater, improvements to the existing rodeo grounds and an additional hangar/restaurant.”
The public hearing will be to consider the establishment of the bond district. The STAR bond project costs are to be paid by the issuance of bonds of the City and must be paid off in 20 years. There would be no additional sales tax and “taxpayers are never responsible for bond payments,” according to the agenda.
Other items on the agenda Monday include:
• Street closures and permissions for the Home for the Holidays parade and activities on Nov. 30
• Tree trimmers license for Blane Oborney, doing business as Rainbow Tree Services, out of Rush Center
• A resolution establishing urban area boundary lines, used to determine the applicability of federal aid for highway and street construction
• A bid for $187,845 from Digital Alley for a five-year contract for vehicle and body-worn cameras for the police department
• Health insurance rates (with a 9% increase to city and employee cost).
