Developers celebrated progress this week on a major tourism district in Olathe, which plans to bring an amusement park, sports arena and other attractions to the city.
Halo Ridge, a $320 million project, will transform 64 acres of historically undeveloped land at the southwest corner of 119th Street and Renner Boulevard into an “ultra-accessible sports-themed amusement park,” a state-of-the-art sports arena, and 150-bed hotel, with space for restaurants, retail and other features.
The development site is part of Olathe’s “Gateway District,” considered one of its busiest intersections and an entry point into the city. According to city staff, the project aligns with Olathe’s Comprehensive Plan, which is a policy-driven document that outlines the community’s vision for future growth and development.
Halo Ridge was an opportunity born from several unsuccessful project ideas that fell flat before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to developers.
After the land in Olathe came available, developers drew inspiration from a fully-accessible park in San Antonio and asked what it would look like to do something similar.
According to James Arkell, vice president of Loretto Companies, the heart behind Halo Ridge is to bolster underserved youth sports and help families who have children with disabilities, connecting them with resources and fun experiences.
“Our focus is a total family focus,” Arkell said in a phone call Friday. “It’s about trying to lift everybody up together.”
Equal access for all
The issue of accessibility is close to home for Arkell, whose youngest son has a rare genetic condition which requires him to use a wheelchair and leaves him non-verbal.
Arkell said he has been able to draw on personal experiences to help make the theme park, sports arena and surrounding development fully accessible and fun for everyone.
“We’re actually building something that, if you don’t have a disability, you wouldn’t know that it had the option to be a wheelchair accessible ride.”
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Arkell runs Loretto Companies, the developer behind Halo Ridge, with his father-in-law Lamar Hunt Jr., the son of Kansas City Chiefs founder Lamar Hunt.
The Halo Ridge project site is just a few miles away from the Chiefs’ future headquarters and training facility site at College Boulevard and Ridgeview Road.
After a ceremonial groundbreaking this week, Arkell said construction can begin on Halo Ridge when permitting is complete, but that he couldn’t provide a specific date or timeline yet.
The project will get more than $100 million in state and local tax incentives. Up to $65 million of that is Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) bonds. Halo Ridge is one of three current STAR bond districts in Olathe.
City planners framed Halo Ridge as an image-defining project for Olathe in planning documents approved by the City Council last year.
Olathe Mayor John Bacon attended the groundbreaking ceremony for Halo Ridge Thursday. He said the development will provide everyone a place to have fun with their loved ones, regardless of ability.
“Olathe is committed to building a city where everyone has the ability to reach their full potential — where people of all ages and abilities can thrive,” Bacon said.
“We recognize that no matter what your circumstances in life, you deserve all of the great things Olathe has to offer,” he said. “And we’re proud to do that work each day.”