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E-NEWS FROM THE LEE'S SUMMIT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL March
2003. Volume 2, Edition 1 |
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LSEDC Investors will join members of the Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce for the chamber’s annual Train Trip to Jefferson City on Wednesday, April 9th.
Each year Lee’s Summit business and political leaders take time to visit our Legislative delegation in the State Capitol on matters of importance to our community. This year there are a number of issues on tap including education spending, tax credit revisions, highway interchange funding, downtown redevelopment and more. The trip will also be a great opportunity to get better acquainted with our new legislators who have been invited to join the delegation for lunch.
We hope you’ll join us for the fun and productive day. The cost is $55 for Chamber/LSEDC members, and $65 for non-members. We’ll have breakfast at the Depot at 7:15 a.m. Our featured speaker will be Sabin Yanez, MODOT’s District 4 Engineer. The train departs at 8:11 a.m. and returns at approximately 8:25 p.m.
Reserve your spot by calling the Chamber at 816-524-2424 or emailing the Chamber at lscoc@lschamber.com. Checks should be made payable to Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce. The cut off for reservations is April 1, 2003. |
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While we’re in Jefferson City we’ll find out more about the Missouri Downtown Economic Stimulus Act (MODESA). This legislation that could help rejuvenate and strengthen downtown business and residential districts in Lee’s Summit and throughout the state. To learn more about the legislation, link to the following web site:
http://www.senate.state.mo.us/03INFO/bills/SB253.html.
We consider our vibrant downtown to be our competitive point of difference when comparing our community to others in the metro, so any legislation that can help us improve even further is welcome.
In many respects, MODESA is like a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district. It allows qualifying municipalities to create Downtown Development Authorities and to withhold portions of state taxes to help finance major downtown initiatives.
In general these initiatives must create jobs and promote tourism, cultural activities, arts, entertainment and other such activities. In communities the size of Lee’s Summit a project must be budgeted at $1 million or more and must create at least 10 new jobs.
Lee’s Summit’s elected state officials support MODESA. State Senator Matt Bartle and Robert Thane Johnson are co-sponsors of the Bill in their respective chambers. Be sure and ask them about it when we visit Jeff City April 9th.
Mayor Karen Messerli has indicated that MODESA could be another shot in the arm for our downtown where so many exciting things are already underway.
We will continue to monitor the proposal and offer any support we can to help move this progressive legislation forward. |
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It’s exciting to see the progress on a Downtown Master Plan. We should always remember that the LSEDC played a significant role in this initiative. Particularly John Wisniewski, Jim Harpool and consultant Marty Shukert got behind this effort very early with the support of the city staff.
The entire community will benefit from a well-conceived and executed Downtown Master Plan. |
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Please mark your calendars now for our Quarterly Investor Luncheon, Wednesday July 2. Missouri’s Senior Senator Christopher S. Bond will be our special guest speaker. He should have important information about international, national, state and local issues to share with us.
The luncheon will be at 11:30 a.m., at Truman Medical Center, Lakewood, 7900 Lee’s Summit Road. More details will be announced later. |
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Many LSEDC Investors as well as companies and individuals seeking information about Lee’s Summit have been impressed with the very thorough report, “Lee’s Summit By the Numbers.” The report was designed for developers and others who may be thinking of locating or expanding a business in our community.
Highlights of the report include: |
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Continuing population growth at rates higher than the metro average. The report says Lee’s Summit’s population will rise from 70,700 in 2000 to 116,000 by 2020. |
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The city ranks at the top in Jackson County and just below Johnson County, KS in household income ($60,905); percentage of high school graduates age 25 or over (93.1%); and, median home value ($131,500). |
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Since 1995 Lee’s Summit has added over 6,000,000 square feet of new retail, office and industrial space with an assessed value of $205 million. This represents over $600,000,000 in capital investment! |
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Since 1995 a total of 6,550 new single-family homes have been constructed in the city. |
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Average local housing prices range from $138,505 in zip code 64063 to $240,830 in 64064. |
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The entire report with accompanying charts is posted on the LSEDC web site, http://www.leessummit.org/community.html. Hard copies are available for $5 at the LSEDC Offices, 218 SE Main, Lee’s Summit, MO 64063. |
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Prospects Showing Interest; Retention a Priority
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Your LSEDC has been active in assisting four quality prospects who are looking at Lee’s Summit as a possible site.
Two are call centers representing about 50,000 square feet of space and 400 potential employees. The other two are manufacturing type companies representing 40,000 combined square feet and 100 potential jobs.
Because much community growth comes from within, Business Retention will be a major priority as we see an ongoing economic slowdown nationally. |
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We’re pleased to welcome David Block of Block and Associates, Rick Weeda of Blue Ridge Bank, Brent Ott of Hannah Bistro Café, and Rob Lytle of Lytle Construction as new investors to the LSEDC. Please make them welcome. |
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A priority that resulted from our recent planning retreat was to “Increase the awareness and influence of the Lee’s Summit Economic Development Council in the community”.
We are pleased to announce a partnership with the Lee’s Summit Journal that will help us achieve this goal, and help you stay abreast of all that is happening in Missouri’s fastest growing city.
Effective immediately, Journal Publisher Steve Curd is offering substantial subscription discounts to all LSEDC investors: |
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For Home Delivery the discount is 26%, or $29.60 compared to $39.60 per year |
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These rates apply to new and renewing LSEDC subscribers. |
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Here is how the LSEDC benefits. For every subscriber that responds to this offer, the Journal will donate $15 in ad space to be used by the LSEDC to help us tell our story to the community. This is in addition to the regular columns the paper carries for us.
High quality communities like ours depend on an informed citizenry. We’re pleased to be working with the Lee’s Summit Journal to help it keep our community abreast of the important work being done by the LSEDC.
Please call the Journal today at 816-524-2345 and refer to the LSEDC Special Subscription. Stay informed about what’s going on in Lee’s Summit and help us spread the word about the LSEDC. |
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This is our eighth electronic newsletter. If you like it pass it along. Our goal is to provide you with
useful information in a useful format. Have we succeeded? Do you have suggestions? Do you want to be dropped from our
distribution list? Please let me know at
jdevine@leessummit.org. That’s it for now. See you on the Train Trip to Jeff City April 9th!! |
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