Now that regulatory business, at least from the city of Emporia’s perspective, has been handled, who’s coming to the travel plaza near the west city limits?
Representatives of Brown Stone 3 Development, the project’s developers, have changed their approach in that regard. In early October, owner John Brown told KVOE News there would be a batch of tenant announcements in early November. After the City Commission granted a tax increment financing district to the project as a way to offset construction costs earlier this month, the company announced the individual companies would announce their upcoming presences in Emporia — and so far, none have.
In his October interview with KVOE News, Brown said the travel plaza aspect of the development had a confirmed tenant, with up to seven more tenants involving the RV park and food court nearing agreements. At that time, agreements with motels and multi-family housing were expected to follow suit.
This adjustment is in contrast to the Emporia Pavilions, which is awaiting final agreements with several retailers after developer Spencer Thomson announced leases with Marshalls, Ross Dress for Less and Shoe Show in mid-August. Construction for those businesses began almost immediately after that announcement.
As far as travel plaza construction is concerned, Brown says most of the development is pad-ready for construction. Brown Stone 3 announced the plan for this development early last year. Initial plans called for about a $35 million to $40 million development that could create at least 100 jobs.
