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Global View: Consultant's Site Selection Criteria Expose the Elephants in the Room: A Lack of Sites and Buildings
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Area Development Magazine's recent edition surveyed consultants and asked them their top site selection factors. Think about Lee's Summit's attributes when reviewing the top six Site Selection Factors:
1. Highway Accessibility: Lee's Summit has eight interchanges westbound and six eastbound, far more than many communities. However, we are at the southeast periphery of the metro area, whose employment center is roughly at I-435 and Metcalf. Because of this, we are accessible and can tout the reverse commute, which makes commuting to Lee's Summit from the west a pleasure.
2. Labor Costs: As long as gasoline prices remain reasonable, Lee's Summit is available to 80% of the metro area labor with a 25 minute REVERSE commute.
3. Occupancy or Construction Costs: This implies BUILDINGS...of which Lee's Summit has a limited supply. In October 2009, Lee's Summit inventory was slim. Imagine what the region has in comparison.
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LEE'S SUMMIT, MO: AVAILABLE SPACE OVERVIEW OCT 2009
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Industrial and Flex: 6,341,178 total sf
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Percent Leased
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Number of Spaces
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Total Available Space
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Average Percent Leased
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Average Weighted Rent
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Over 90
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170
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0
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100%
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|
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70 to 89
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3
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47,955
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80%
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50 to 69
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3
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0
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59%
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25 to 49
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4
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25,790
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35%
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Less than 25
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14
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317,006
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0%
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Total
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194
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390,751
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$7.90
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Office: 3,133,804 total sf
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Percent Leased
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Number of Spaces
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Total Available Space
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Average Percent Leased
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Average Weighted Rent
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Over 90
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151
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33,216
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99%
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|
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70 to 89
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18
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49,818
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80%
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50 to 69
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15
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67,394
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61%
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25 to 49
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8
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38,659
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35%
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Less than 25
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10
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90,447
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8%
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Total
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202
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279,534
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$13.81
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The good news is that construction costs are a wash throughout the region, and studies show that Lee's Summit's permitting costs and time to Certificate of Occupancy are quite good compared to others in the region.
4. Availability of Skilled Labor: Two thirds of our residents leave Lee's Summit every day to work somewhere else - no problem here!
5. State and Local Incentives: Missouri is getting its act together to compete with Kansas. The Quality Jobs Program is an excellent tool and may be amended to apply to existing as well as new companies. Lee's Summit has been creative and opportunistic in using all available incentives as long as there is a return on investment to the community.
6. Availability of Land. Uh-oh! Lee's Summit has only about 5% of its land left for commercial, office and industrial development, and much of that will be harder to develop due to infrastructure or topography issues. To bring this land to market, aggressive public/private partnerships must be forged. The Green Tech Corridor area between View High and Pryor Road is a good example of excellent sites needing considerable help. This is our front door, and can be the equivalent of Corporate Woods if done properly with substantial investment. Fortunately, the City Council has earmarked this location for sewer, water and highway improvements. Another diamond in the rough is the Hwy 291S/50 Highway Corridor. This great location has considerable barriers to development, not the least of which is the Hwy 50/291 overpass which will cost well over $15 million just to widen the lanes!
Based on the consultants' top site selection factors, Lee's Summit fares well in many areas BUT is deficient in crucial areas of site and building availability. Almost all of the prospects looking at the metro area require an existing building. This deficiency, when combined with our peripheral location, requires the city to be aggressive in developing inventory of sites and buildings and to be opportunistic when build to suit, incentive drive deals present themselves. . This is a problem for all of Eastern Jackson County. No wonder Blue Springs is seeking to establish the Missouri Innovation Park and Independence is moving to add infrastructure to open 32 square miles for development AND is considering a city-sponsored business park near I-70! Fortunately we have over 100 acres on the Summit Tech Campus and land in the I-470 Business and Technology Park near the airport. But we need to have more alternatives.
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For the second consecutive year, the FIRST Robotics teams from each of the three Lee's Summit R-7 high schools qualified for the World FIRST Robotics Championship. The Championship event was held April 15 through 17 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. The Lee's Summit R-7 School District is the only district in the world with three or more FIRST robotics teams to qualify 100 percent of their teams on merit for the World Championship Event. This is the second year in a row that this school district has earned this difficult and rare distinction.
FIRST stands for "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology." It is a competition to inspire high school students to become the science and technology heroes of tomorrow.
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 A regional collaboration with our economic development counterparts in Eastern Jackson County, the 2010 Eastern Jackson County by the Numbers publication is now available. This report, compiled biennially, gives us a comprehensive picture of Eastern Jackson County and drills down to statistics about each individual community. Once again, the numbers in Lee's Summit look great. Click here to read the full report.
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Gale Communities and Emery Sapp & Sons (ESS) have once again partnered to spur commercial and residential development in western Lee's Summit. Gale Communities, the master developer behind New Longview, Winterset Park and Arborwalk, has engaged ESS to provide the infrastructure and ground work services for the most active commercial construction project in Lee's Summit since the Summit Fair shopping center began two years ago. Residential expansions in New Longview and Winterset are also underway.
The retail project at New Longview includes six pad sites on five acres, with 80,000 square feet available for development. Ground has already been broken on two of the six sites, which will be home to McDonalds and Phillips 66. On the residential side, seven new home contracts with an average lot price of $96,000 have been signed on the west-side of Lee's Summit at Winterset Valley and New Longview in the last 30 days, creating the need for a new, seven-lot plat in Winterset, also being built by ESS.
"I think it's safe to say that nowhere else in the area is seeing this much new commercial and residential construction," said David Gale, the driving force behind Gale Communities. "After 35 years in the development and construction industry, we've tried to learn how to wait out the inevitable down cycle. Although our momentum slowed over the past three years, we've been able to maintain. This new activity indicates a strong, cyclical rebound."
ESS, an employee-owned contractor with offices in Kansas City, Springfield and Columbia, Mo., remained active during this difficult time for many in construction. The diversity in the scopes of work performed served the company well. In addition to the work with Gale Communities, ESS has landed other high-profile Lee's Summit infrastructure projects, including the $14 million Strother Road Interchange and widening of MO-150.
"We are celebrating a 10-year partnership with Lee's Summit and Gale Communities that started with the Ward Road expansion," said Brian Johanning, ESS Project Manger. "Development in Lee's Summit is part of what brought ESS to Kansas City, and it has been a good springboard for us. ESS has brought on more than 100 new employees in their Kansas City metro office. Ten years ago many of these employees were commuting from the Columbia office. Now they live, work and spend their money in communities like Lee's Summit in and around Kansas City."
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The renaissance of Arnold Hall into a community visual arts center took a giant step forward in February, when an 11-member Missouri Municipal Building and Equipment Authority Inc. (MBEA), (a 501(c) 3 board) met for the first time. The MBEA has been in place since 1984, but the Lee's Summit City Council recently reactivated it in order to act as the Arnold Hall project's primary redevelopment organization. The board will help facilitate private and tax credit financing for the estimated $4.5 million project and coordinate the building's redevelopment. The board consists of Brad Cox, president; Dr. Robert "Bud" Hertzog, vice president; Thomas Jackson, treasurer; Dr. Janice Cade, secretary; Carl Chinnery, David Gale, John Beaudoin, Ben Martin, Machelle Riffe and Dan Hall, founder of Martin City Melodrama - the primary tenant for the facility. Additionally, the position of Mayor of the City of Lee's Summit will maintain a permanent seat on the board.
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LSEDC has been working closely with City Staff to develop action items related to the Lee's Summit 360 Strategic Plan's Economic Development Key Performance Areas (KPAs).A subgroup will soon convene to address Goal # 1.
Goal 1: The City of Lee's Summit is development and redevelopment friendly.
Strategy: Perform a comprehensive review of the current City development and/or redevelopment processes and the customer satisfaction thereof.
Action Steps:
1. Implement a "Best Municipal Government Practices" process to focus on improved customer service and identify any potential impediments to developers.
2. Design and implement a "Development 101" training program to provide citizen education about the processes to conduct business with the City.
3. Create an ombudsman position that reports to the City Manager on the process and successes of development and redevelopment projects
Other goals to be tackled in the coming months and years by sub groups are:
1. The continuation of LSEDC to operate independently from, but in concert with, City Government
2. Establishment of a ratio of 35% commercial and 65% residential
3. Aggressive pursuit of redevelopment projects using tools to achieve the highest, best use of underutilized properties.
4. Lee's Summit's perception as a "progressive destination City."
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In February, LSEDC made available to Downtown Lee's Summit Main Street (DLSMS) its Synchronist business interview software to document business interviews in downtown. The LSEDC trained volunteers will interview 30- 50 businesses. While the information gathered from each business will remain confidential, LSEDC will aggregate the data into a formal report scheduled to be released in June 2010. The goal of the process is to identify issues and trends specific to downtown businesses. The business visits will also assist DSLMS, LSEDC and the City of Lee's Summit determine potential actions to take or assistance to provide to improve the viability of businesses operating in this business sector.  Back row (L-R): Brad Culbertson, Ryan Smarr, Darla Hall, Linda Netterville, Bob Netterville, Jeanine Rann, Stacy Brandt, Sarah Shore and Shea Crouch. Sitting (L-R): Michael Nagles, Gary Fruits, Kathy Smith and Teresa Evans Not pictured: Fred Perry, Bob Glaser, Lauren Fruits, Rob Binney, Jason Norbury, Connie Smith and Randy Rhoads.
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In addition to the Downtown business visits, LSEDC Vice President, Teresa Evans is scheduling visits with Lee's Summit companies in the manufacturing, technology, distribution and high-end services sectors. These one-on-one visits will serve as an advocate for the business and provide resources/services as may be appropriate, and gauge the current business climate in Lee's Summit. If you would like to schedule a visit, please contact Teresa at tdevans@leessummit.org or 816.525.6617. Click here to read the 2009 VIP Business Survey Report.
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Two Lee's Summit companies, Pave Guard Technologies and Meyer Companies, have formed a strategic partnership with plans to open a 20,000 square foot distribution center on Hamblen Road in Lee's Summit. They anticipate the distribution center will be operable in the second quarter of 2010, and will facilitate solar projects throughout the Midwest.
Meyer Companies - a full-service commercial construction and real estate management firm - owns the building, which will be occupied by solar renewable energy company, Pave Guard Technologies. The distribution center will expand Pave Guard's sales and installation services, and will house all of the company's solar technology components including solar panels, rooftop solar systems and solar tracking products -offered by Pave Guard's subsidiary company, Solar Link. The companies anticipate creating nearly 25 distribution center jobs, with an approximate annual salary of $40,000. In addition to the building, the companies are making a capital investment of at least $250,000.
"This is a really great story about two Lee's Summit companies in unrelated industries getting together to mutually benefit both businesses," said Pave Guard president and CEO, Corey McDonald. "Since Pave Guard is an emerging business, partnering with a reputable company like Meyer that has been in business for 33 years will help us quickly expand our services."
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The first meeting of the Lee's Summit Gateways Business Alliance (LSGBA) included a presentation entitled "Is this the End of the Economic Crisis" from renowned economist/professor James Little - Olin Business School - Washington University in St. Louis. This was followed by a meeting in March, when KCP&L professionals Paul Snider, Senior Manager - Government Relations and Greg Kindle, Senior Manager - Economic Development provided an update on cap and trade and EPA legislation, as well as energy solutions programs available for businesses. Lee's Summit Gateways Business Alliance Co-chairs Keith Koehler, Acceleration, and Chip Moxley, WC Tingle, facilitate these bi-monthly meetings. Plans are underway for the May meeting. The topic will be "Healthcare Reform . . . What does it mean to Your Business?" Distinguished panelists include Mark Avery, CEO - Power Group; Damond Boatwright, President/CEO - Lee's Summit Medical Center and Andy Haynes, attorney at law - Haynes Benefits. The June meeting will feature Mayor Randy Rhoads.
The LSGBA, staffed by LSEDC, is a group of "C" level leaders of over 20 primary employers in Lee's Summit. Primary employers or basic industries are defined as companies that produce products or services that are sold outside of the area in which they are produced. Examples of basic industries include manufacturers, distribution centers, data centers and high end service providers. The Alliance has been active in community affairs related to the airport expansion, the new Bailey Road extension, workforce training programs and growth and development issues such as the Lego Land and City Walk projects.
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StartKC, with the support of its Founding Advisory Committee, including LSEDC, is launching StartKC.com, a web-based platform that offers Kansas City area entrepreneurs an entrepreneurial ecosystem which is a convenient channel to: gain expert insights, collaborate with leading business minds and utilize resources specifically designed to build and grow successful businesses.
StartKC is launching with three innovative modules: Virtual Conference, Resource Center and a Communications system named the "Water Cooler."
Mark Brigman, CEO of StartKC, is a Lee's Summit resident and founder of seven previous corporations, Mark believes that for the first time in Kansas City's history, entrepreneurs have a "front row seat" to see what entrepreneurial success looks like. In addition to the web platforms, StartKC plans to sponsor and host monthly events that take the form of socials, conferences, seminars, workshops and funding pitch events.
StartKC generates revenue by charging a modest monthly membership fee of $29.99. When considering a 1-day entrepreneur's event can cost more than an annual membership of StartKC, this is a strong value for any entrepreneur, especially since they can access the site and materials 24/7.
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In January, LSEDC investor CEAH Realtors, a full-service commercial real estate company specializing in sales, leasing, consulting, development and management of properties, announced the relocation of an IRS Service Center to Lakewood Business Center in Lee's Summit. On behalf of the IRS, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) will lease 29,702 square feet of a 49,117 square foot prime flex space in a spec building being built by LBP IV, LLC. Construction of the building, which will be located at 2850 NE Independence Ave., has begun with a projected IRS move in October 2010.
The IRS Service Center is another top-tier tenant for Lee's Summit's Business and Technology Center on I-470. The IRS will join nationally recognized tenants like Toshiba and KTU Constructors in the business park. The IRS is relocating from its existing location at 5800 E. Bannister Rd. in Kansas City, Missouri.
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A transportation-related engineering firm based in Kentucky has selected Lee's Summit for the location of a small research and development center. The company, Safetran Systems, evaluated location options in the Southeastern U.S. before selecting the Kansas City region for the 15 employee operation. The company will design a control system for railroads to incorporate into existing grade level traffic crossings. The firm cited Kansas City's existing transportation and railroad infrastructure, along with its deep pool of engineering talent, as reasons behind the decision. LSEDC worked with the Kansas City Area Development Council, the Missouri Partnership, KCP&L and Jackson County on the project.
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Indicative of the collaborative nature and team effort, thanks to an award packet compiled and submitted by LSEDC and our marketing partner candid, the Missouri Arts Council recognized Lee's Summit as the 2010 Creative Community.
The City of Lee's Summit has produced a dynamic video that contains pictures of some of the community's treasured cultural and arts displays showcased throughout the community. Click here to view the video.
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The Lee's Summit community continues to mount up recognitions in 2010, including making the list of U.S. Wealth Centers according to Portfolio.com, a bizjournals property as well as BusinessWeek magazine's list of the 2010 fastest growing cities.
Lee's Summit ranked 103 out of nation's 420 largest cities surveyed by Portfolio.com using 2008 Census data. According to the survey, Lee's Summit's Median Household Income is $76,758 and the Median Home Value is $187,200. Click here for more details about Lee's Summit's ranking.
A few weeks ago, the City made BusinessWeek magazine's ranking as one of the 2010 fastest growing cities in America. According to the magazine's on-line site about the listing of cities, Lees Summit made the list because "both businesses and residents have come to Lee's Summit for its exceptional quality of life. The town has miles of trails for recreational use and dozens of parks." Lee's Summit is one of the fastest growing cities in the state of Missouri and has a population of more than 93,000 residents. Read details about the rankings.
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Thanks to an application submitted by the City of Lee's Summit, the Kansas City Business Journal honored the I-470 and 50 Highway Interchange with a Capstone Award in the Infrastructure Category. The $40+ million project was chosen as an illustration of how infrastructure and economic development go hand in hand. The interchange opened up land for Summit Fair, increased access to the Summit Technology Campus and future land development at the various intersections. The award was presented on April 1 at the Overland Park Sheraton, and the Business Journal featured the project in a special insert in April. For more information, click here.
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 In recent years, Lee's Summit, along with the organizations and companies that make our community outstanding, has been recognized with numerous prestigious awards. In an effort to capture all of the awards in one place, LSEDC has added an awards page to its web site. Click here to see a comprehensive list. Are we missing something? Please let us know.
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Each year the Lee's Summit Chamber of Commerce accepts nominations for the Res in Motus (Business in Motion) Business of the Year awards. Awards are given in various size categories. The top three candidates were announced at the Chamber's Membership Luncheon on Friday, March 26.
Vegrandis (under five employees)
• candid marketing & communications *
• Downtown Lee's Summit Main Street, Inc. *
• DVA Enterprises, Inc. *
Parvus (6-15 employees)
• Affordable Elegance
• Lee's Summit Journal *
• Summit Strength Physical Therapy, LLC
Magnus (over 15 employees)
• John Knox Village *
• Lee's Summit Community Christian School *
• Summit Technical Solutions, LLC
The final award recipients will be announced at the Membership Luncheon on Friday, May 21. The top three recipients will have a site visit prior to the announcement of the winner in each category. Consideration is given regarding their service to the Chamber and to the community, prudent business practice, stability/growth, history of good employee relations, effective marketing strategies, technology resource management, growth in number of employees and the application presentation.
* denotes LSEDC investor
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Pycior + Co. Wins Graves/Hale Award
The Lee's Summit Historic Preservation Commission recently announced that Pycior + Co. is this year's recipient of the Graves/Hale Historic Preservation Award. This award is presented to living individuals, teams, groups, agencies, firms and/or collective entities who have demonstrated, over an extended period of time, a commitment to interpreting, retaining and promoting the preservation and adaptive reuse of buildings, districts, structures and cultural landscapes in Lee's Summit.
The award ceremony will be held during the Strawberry Lawn Fete on May 16, 2010 as part of the Historic Preservation Commission's May Preservation Month events.
Lee's Summit Parks & Recreation Assistant Administrator Honored
Joe Snook, Assistant Administrator for Lee's Summit Parks and Recreation, was recently presented with a state award from the Missouri Parks and Recreation Association. He was honored at the annual conference at Ozark Lake on March 4 with the presentation of the Associate Fellow Award. This prestigious award is given as deserved to Parks and Recreation professionals who have been in the field for less than 10 years, served on standing or special committees of MPRA, had articles published, presented to community groups in the interest of parks and recreation and contributed outstandingly to the field through innovated ideas or programs.
Lee's Summit R-7 Receives 2010 Magna Award
Recently, the American School Board Journal's (ASBJ) selected the Lee's Summit R-7 School District as a first place winner in their 16th annual Magna Awards program. This is the third year in a row the district has earned the national award. The school district was recognized in the 5,000 - 20,000 enrollment category for its Senior Citizens' School Tours program, developed to promote better relations between the school system and senior citizens.
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Since many of our e-news readers are not Lee's Summit residents but opinion makers in the metro area, let's go into some detail in the answer to this question.
Bottom Line: LSEDC is excited about the new City Council and leadership. There is a nice balance of proven leaders and new faces that will bring a unique perspective to issues facing our growing community.
The Specifics:
• Returning Councilmembers Ed Cockrell and Kathy Hoffmann
Both have been active in peeling back the onion of the complex elements of economic development. They know there are no simple solutions to complex community problems. Both have been very supportive of LSEDC's efforts, especially in the areas of redevelopment and business attraction and retention.
• Mayor Elect Randy Rhoads
Mayor Karen Messerli is a hard act to follow. Her 20+ years of public service, her aggressive economic development leadership guiding Lee's Summit's growth and development and willingness to make difficult decisions are qualities which served Lee's Summit well. We wish all the best and look forward to her returning to public life after some well-earned R&R.
Fortunately, Mayor Elect Randy Rhoads has the experience, business background and 12 years on the City Council to bring a deep and broad historical context of issues impacting the city. His campaign included support for economic development:
"The economic stress has also impacted economic development efforts for our community and intensified competition among communities for prospective projects. I will work with the Economic Development Council, Chamber of Commerce, regional and state entities to strengthen economic development efforts. More development of a large office campus and industry will result in more tax money available to the city and school district. The loss of Pfizer, Calmar and Adesa has left those properties and adjacent areas available for redevelopment. I would aggressively strive to facilitate the redevelopment of that area in conjunction with highway improvements."
• Councilmember Elect Dave Mosby
Having served on the Planning Commission, the Charter Review Commission, the Board of Adjustment, and the R-7 Boundary Team, Dave understands growth and development issues. His no nonsense private sector training has translated to his platform.
o Balanced, Smart Development: Strive for optimum development mix; support Downtown and Lee's Summit; keep and grow jobs in Lee's Summit.
o Infrastructure: Support road and utility enhancements; improve sewer systems.
These simply stated objectives speak volumes given his community involvement in the Lee's Summit 360 Strategic Plan. We are confident that he is pro business, knows that time is money and that business can invest anywhere they want and that Lee's Summit needs to be opportunistic in pursuing business attraction and retention.
• Councilmember Elect Brian Whitley
Brian has earned his council seat over the years. He has served the Raintree Lake area and the community on several levels including the LS 360 Strategic Plan and the Charter Review Commission. His positions on economic development include:
o The arts: The arts are not just luxuries enjoyed by affluent communities - they augment a city's economic profile and help to attract quality economic development.
o TIF: Strategic use of economic incentives, not indiscriminate use Support for tax incentives for development that is clean, hi-tech, cutting edge, likely to grow quickly, and/or unique to the area. Support the strategic use of tax incentives where doing so is likely to stimulate additional development that does not rely on TIF, thereby boosting the overall tax base for Lee's Summit.
o Tax-base diversity: Reducing the burden on Lee's Summit residents Work with the Economic Development Council and Chamber of Commerce to encourage high-paying commercial, corporate, and light industrial development in Lee's Summit to provide additional tax revenue for the Lee's Summit School District and to reduce the tax burden on residential property owners. Support cultivating and encouraging the businesses already in Lee's Summit through early identification and quick resolution of barriers to business growth.
o Sustainable Growth: Eventually, Lee's Summit will run out of room to grow internally and externally. Policies must be adopted now to ensure that Lee's Summit can remain a sustainable community well into the future. This includes a concerted effort of the City Council and its Chamber and Economic Development Council partners in driving corporate, commercial, and light industrial growth in Lee's Summit. This also means adopting business-friendly policies that will encourage business to thrive in Lee's Summit, keeping all taxes at current or near-current levels, and protecting our environment and leveraging that as a marketable asset.
o Missouri 150 Corridor: Missouri 150 is an area with tremendous potential for commercial and retail growth. As one of the gateways to Lee's Summit, every effort must be made to ensure that growth is orderly and transitions well. I will support the Planning Commission and city staff's efforts in ensuring that growth is well-planned and thoughtful.
o Missouri 291 and US 50 Corridor: With the closing and/or relocation of Calmar, Pfizer and the Adesa Auto Auction, the city needs to focus on redevelopment of this important economic corridor. Along with a loss of jobs, Lee's Summit loses out on tax revenues. In addition, the 45,000 daily vehicles traveling in the corridor experience an inadequate transportation infrastructure. Lee's Summit needs to continue working with its economic partners, Jackson County and Missouri to identify potential employers and begin to redevelop the area.
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Tell us about your company and what it does.
The Meyer Companies was founded 33 years ago by Dave and Roger Meyer as Meyer Brothers Building Company to be in the commercial and industrial general construction business. Over the past 15 years the company has diversified into a multidiscipline group. Under the umbrella company of The Meyer Companies, we operate the following groups:
• Meyer Brothers Building Company: Commercial General Contracting in the Greater Kansas City Area
• Summit Concrete Company: Full-service concrete company doing structural concrete and architectural Tilt-Up walls throughout the Midwestern states
• Meyer Complete: Service, maintenance, repairs and tenant improvements throughout the Midwestern states
• Heise-Meyer: Full-service commercial real estate and property management group serving the Greater Kansas City Market
• Fleming West: Commercial General Contracting serving the Arizona and Nevada areas
• Fleming Complete: Service, maintenance, repairs and tenant improvements serving Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico
The Meyer Companies has most recently entered into a partnering agreement with Pave Guard that will take both companies into the alternative energy solutions markets utilizing solar and radiant energy components, maintaining temperatures in bridge decks and commercial building structures. This will serve markets in most regions of the country.
The diversity of the Meyer Companies holdings has allowed us to maintain a staff ranging from 100 to 150 employees. Even in these difficult times, the broad range of services has allowed the company to shift its resources to areas of optimal return.
Why did you join LSEDC?
It is important to the Meyer Companies to become involved in our community. LSEDC has been a particular interest of Roger's for many years. Most recently the opportunity to serve on the executive committee and as chairman of LSEDC has been a highlight to his service to the organization. The management and staff of LSEDC serve as an organization to emulate throughout the greater Kansas City area.
What have you gained from your investment in LSEDC?
The peer contacts with people throughout the metro area have been of great value. This organization reaches into the depths of not only Lee's Summit interests, but regional interests that influence peoples' decisions in business matters. We cannot think of any other organization that brings public and private interests together better than LSEDC.
What projects or activities are you involved in Lee's Summit that would be of interest to our readers?
Civic projects that the Meyer Companies holds near include Marian Hope Center, Autism Foundation, Hope House, Community Services League and Harvesters.
Some construction projects in the area include: Dave Cross Motors, Blue Ridge Mazda of Lee's Summit, Lee's Summit Honda, Lee's Summit Subaru, Kokam Ind., ViraCor Labs, Business Exchange Offices, Summit Woods Crossing, I-470 Sprint building, Bledsoe Rentals (2), Missouri Table and Chair, Gail's Harley Davidson, Lunar Bowl, Shops at Boardwalk, Briarcliff, and Zona Rosa (phase II).
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Beginning on July 1, 2010, LSEDC will change its quarterly investor meeting charges to include a higher rate for attendees from non-investor companies. Effective with the July 2010 Annual Investor Meeting, the meeting cost will remain at $20 per person from an investor company, and increase to $25 per person from a non-investor company.
The cost of meetings not only goes to pay for lunch, but also for room rental, venue staff and labor, as well as any other incidentals associated with the meeting (audio visual rental, linens, etc). As has been stated historically, LSEDC does not hold meetings to make money, but rather, to break even. In the past year, we have noticed a trend of consistently losing money on our meetings, and as such have decided it is time to increase the price per person for those who are not investors.
We are also moving to adopt a billing policy for all attendees more consistent with the Chamber's - i.e. - all payments are due by the day of the meeting. Any invoices sent after the day of the meeting will be subject to a $5 billing fee.
For our investors, we will roll out the option to register and pay for meetings online, which we hope you will find more convenient. Any non-investors registering for meetings will follow the same protocol to register: via e-mail or phone. All guests can pay with cash, check, or Visa/MasterCard.
We sincerely appreciate your support of our efforts. If you have questions, please feel free to contact us at 816-525-6617. Thank you!
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