The Wichita City Council has set a public hearing for November 21, to consider creating a separate taxing district along the west bank of the Arkansas River near Riverfront Stadium.
The proposed West Bank Redevelopment District would stretch along the Arkansas River to roughly McLean Boulevard, from Maple to Douglas. A hotel and retail space remain part of the developer’s plan but the need for more housing and public parking, instead of office space and private parking, is the reason why the city proposes to create this separate district.
Troy Anderson with the city addressed what he called misinformation about the project. He said the city is not poised to give developers a key revenue stream that originally was supposed to help pay down Riverfront Stadium debt.
The original district, created in 2017, uses Tax Increment Financing (TIF) to pay for certain costs related to improvements the stadium and the surrounding areas.
The city plans to hold a public forum on the issue prior to the hearing. The date, time and location are to be determined.