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| City looks to lure entertainment mall |
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| News | |||
| Written by Brian McCauley | |||
| Tuesday, 10 November 2009 09:00 | |||
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Miami County residents soon may have some new entertainment options, as Paola city officials currently are brainstorming ideas on how to lure developers and investors to town to construct an entertainment mall. Paola Economic Development Director Carol Everhart proposed the idea on Nov. 3 during a Paola City Council work session. Both Everhart and City Manager Jay Wieland said the proposal was simply a concept idea, but both also seemed optimistic about its chance for success. Everhart said one entertainment attraction, such as a bowling alley or movie theater, may struggle on its own, but if several can be drawn to the city at once, perhaps under one roof in an entertainment mall, then it would become a destination for families across the county and be more likely to succeed. During a recent trip to Chilicothe, Everhart said she saw an entertainment mall with a theater, bowling alley, cafe and game room. “The city helped with the project,” she said. Wieland said there is already vacant land in Paola’s business park that developers could build on for free, but the city could also create additional tax break incentives in the form of a CID (community improvement district) or TIF (tax increment financing) district. He asked the council members if they would be in favor of creating a comprehensive incentive package for such a development, and the idea received mostly a positive response. “The more we talk about this thing, I really think it has a lot of potential,” Councilman Jack Rowlett Jr. said. “It’s very much needed here,” Councilwoman Johna Dial added. “I wish when my kids were growing up there was something like that.” Everhart said a group was planning on doing something similar a few years ago, and a feasibility study from 2000 and 2002 said Paola could support it. That plan fell through, though, when the investors backed out, she said. Still, a 2008 profile of the Miami County trade area prepared for Miami County Economic Development a year ago by CERI Inc. states Miami County residents spend $8.2 million on entertainment admissions and fees each year. Everhart believes most of that currently is being spent out of the county. Councilman Jim Pritchard said he likes the idea, but he encouraged his fellow council members not to forget about the Paola Family Pool and the proposed city skate park, both of which are also expenses. Rowlett said, in theory, the proposed entertainment mall would only enhance those entities by bringing more people into the community. No official decision was made at the work session. For more information about the profile of the Miami County trade area, visit Paola’s new economic development Web site at www.thinkpaola.com. The study is listed under the data center tab.
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