After nearly five hours of presentation, discussion and debate, and the clock well past midnight, the fate of the $12 billion Red Wolf data center project in western Kansas City, Kan. came down to a single vote.
Residents and other stakeholders gave rounds of testimony both for and against the project. Proponents stressed the tax and development benefits, while opponents highlighted potential noise and health effects, along with changing the nature of the area from its current rural, residential status. Opponents also called out the data center’s proximity to Piper’s schools.
A successful protest petition filed by residents against the project’s northern section meant that the zoning change required nine votes from the eleven-member board.
With commissioners Phil Lopez (District 6) and Chuck Stites (District 7) committed to voting no, the crucial ninth vote belonged to Mayor/CEO Tyrone Garner.
A denial would prevent Red Wolf from coming back for a year — a potential loss of $12 million in annual property tax revenue for the county if the project was scuttled.
Commissioner Gayle Townsend (District 1) tried to defuse the issue, proposing a one-month delay for negotiations with residents about their concerns for drainage and noise.
Curt Petersen, with the Polsinelli law firm, represented Red Wolf and replied that meetings with residents had already produced helpful changes to the project, but a delay for more meetings was unlikely to produce a better result.
“This is the most responsible layout for this site,” said Petersen, “and we think it does a great job…We’ve had a lot of dialogue, and we think this is really responsibly done.”
When public comments and commissioner questions were over, Garner addressed the group. “I’m not really sure what the key to overwhelming success is in life, but I can tell you the key to failure is trying to make everybody happy.”
The mayor then stressed the importance of innovation and investment — “what is going to bring the greatest value to Wyandotte County long term.”
Garner also compared the Red Wolf project to the Panasonic factory recently built in De Soto. He noted the exurban Johnson County city had been able to build infrastructure and lower its property tax mill levy due to the project.
The mayor’s comments lowered the suspense about his vote, and when the roll call came around — with two commissioners still opposed — Garner voted yes to confirm the zoning and master plan changes.
Homefield Atlas9
Despite the dramatic conclusion, the commission wasn’t done for the night. The Homefield Atlas9 project was still on the agenda, and the mayor set aside a premature motion to adjourn. “We’re almost done.”
The main discussion point on Atlas9 was its property tax incentive. UG staff made clear that the project was not receiving a tax abatement.
Instead, due to the unique nature of the property, the UG pre-defined the value of the property as proportionally similar to the AMC Theater. That valuation will provide Homefield certainty of its tax obligations in the first years of the project.
After approving the incentive and the project’s industrial revenue bonds, the weary commissioners and few remaining spectators finally welcomed the adjournment.