Council Advances Defense Plant, Stalls Citadel

Kansas City, MO – The city council endorsed a defense plant, but held off on a shopping center Thursday.

Rezoning and planning activities necessary to relocate the Bannister Road "Honeywell Defense Plant" to a site off Highway 150 in Grandview sailed through the council by a unanimous vote.

But the proposed Citadel Plaza Shopping Center development at 63rd and Prospect hit stormy seas. The stumbling block: a proposed $20 million loan from the city that the developer said could move the project to the construction stage within two months.

Sponsor Terry Riley finally conceded that he didn't have enough votes this week, but said he is not giving up. He says he is still "100 percent motivated and energized" to move the project to completion and hopeful that he will be able to do so.

The measure goes back to the Planning and Zoning Committee, which needs to solve sticking points like where the money for the loan would come from and whether making a commitment for TIF bonds is still advisable.