Lee’s Summit soon to be home to sports complex—a WIN for local families and visitors

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Paragon Star groundbreaking signals historic next move for project


Lee's Summit, Mo. – Following months of intense planning and approvals by the Lee’s Summit City Council on transportation development, community improvement and tax increment financing development plans, shovels will hit the ground for Kansas City’s premier recreation, entertainment and soccer complex project, Paragon Star, at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 30. 

“This is the day we have poured our hearts and souls into making happen for the residents of Lee’s Summit and surrounding metropolitan area,” Paragon Star CEO Flip Short said. “The collaborations and cooperative efforts to get us to this point have been nothing short of inspirational. It’s a momentous step forward today for area youth sports, patrons of hiking and biking trails, and recreation, dining and entertainment venues.” 

Located at the intersection of I-470 and View High Drive in Lee’s Summit, the 130-acre Paragon Star development will serve as a catalyst for commercial investment in the I-470 and View High Drive corridors. The project features a multi-purpose sports complex, a mixed-use village and a major trail head to serve new hiking and biking trails and is intended to be a regional destination development unlike any other project in the market. 

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The initial phase of the Paragon Star development plan provides for the construction of 10 FIFA regulation artificial turf multi-sport fields and clubhouse, a “village” featuring a 220-unit upscale multifamily residential project, a 90,000 square feet Class-A office building, a 120-unit hotel and 79,000 square feet of entertainment, restaurant/bar and boutique retail attractions and new trails, parks and trail head facilities. 

The first phase development costs are projected at $212 million and subsequent phases, to include additional housing, office, lodging, retail, entertainment and convention/conferencing facilities, will bring total Paragon Star development costs to more than $400 million. 

““The concept of creating a major regional draw built upon youth sports and hiking and biking trails combined with new entertainment, lodging and dining attractions is quite innovative” , said Missouri Director of Economic Development Mike Downing. “Tourism is a major industry for the state of Missouri and the development, while unique, fits nicely with other area attractions." 

Paragon Star is designed to have a pedestrian-friendly “walkability” and feature sustainable design and construction including preservation of natural flora and water-ways, a tree planting program, use of alternative energy generation and a site-wide recycling program. 

The initial phase of the project will also include a major trail head to serve the Little Blue Trace and Katy Trails. The development is adjacent to the Rock Island Railroad with current plans calling for the development of a 17-mile section of the corridor running through Lee’s Summit as a westernmost connection to Missouri’s Katy Trail State Park. This stretch would begin in Pleasant Hill and conclude at the Truman Sports Complex. The southern extension of Jackson County’s Little Blue Trace Trail would also traverse the Paragon Star site. The intersections of the two trails at the site provide numerous benefits to hiking and biking enthusiasts. 

“Jackson County is pleased to partner with the Paragon Star development team in the creation of a new regional destination location”, said County Executive Frank White, Jr. “The planned trail and trail head at the site, as well as the new recreational and commercial opportunities, will not only be enjoyed by Jackson County residents, but thousands of other area residents and tourists.”

 “This project has defined the concept of public-private partnerships,” Paragon Star Project Coordinator William Brown said. “Youth athletics, our entertainment options, recreation availabilities, local art and promoting healthy lifestyles are all the ultimate winners of today’s groundbreaking and our future build out. This project benefits an entire region and we are excited to engage a wide range of residents, soccer families and tourists to at our facility.”

 Developers intend to open the soccer complex for play in Spring 2018.


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