It’s full steam ahead for the redevelopment of Bannister Mall.
A petition drive to overturn a Kansas City Council ordinance endorsing a Wizards soccer stadium development did not get far before collapsing.
Eleven days ago, Richard Tolbert turned in two of the 8,475 required signatures on petitions calling for a vote to stop the redevelopment.
On Friday, he did what many people expected, and told the city clerk he would not be delivering any more signed petitions.
Councilman John Sharp was relieved — and a bit angry.
“This seemed like it was all a game to Mr. Tolbert,” Sharp said. “I think people were extremely upset that a group that didn’t even live in this area could hold up a project so important to us by turning in two signatures.”
Tolbert, who operated a business in the mall, said he had joined with other business owners there in a bid to resurrect the mall. He insisted that, with proper management, it could be a thriving black business hub.
Sharp said the disruption was not long enough to cause any problems other than 40 days of worrying and said he was “looking forward to demolition starting in early spring.”
By 2010, the developer says, the site now bisected by Hillcrest Road south of 87th Street will be a corridor teeming with commercial and recreational activities.
The council-approved plan calls for constructing an 18,500-seat stadium, 12 youth soccer fields, a hotel, and retail and office space. All told, the price of the redevelopment comes to an estimated $950 million.
