One local development project has completed its financing process while another is just beginning the design phase.
During their final regular action meeting of the year Wednesday morning, Emporia City Commissioners approved the issuance of taxable industrial revenue bonds for the Fairfield by Marriott hotel and convention center, the final phase in financing for the project, according to Assistant City Manager Tayler Wash.
Wednesday’s action follows the city’s declaration of intent to issue the bonds back in April of 2024, when the city also granted the development Community Improvement District Status, instituting a two percent sales tax on the new building and the pre-existing Hampton Inn at 2900 Eaglecrest, which is owned by the same company. This also comes with the property on track to open to the public on Tuesday, December 23, which is a very exciting moment for the city, in Wash’s opinion.
Ahead of approving the item Wednesday, commissioners clarified that this action did not involve any local tax dollars as the city is simply acting as a vehicle for the bonds. This action will also not have any effect on the city’s debt capacity.
With the Fairfield opening next week, another major project is just beginning design work, also thanks to action by city commissioners Wednesday as they approved a better-than-$540,000 architectural and engineering contract with BG Consultants for improvements to the DeBauge Family Sports Complex. Commencement of design comes less than a year after the project was first discussed publicly and Deputy City Manager Mark Detter says they are very pleased with how the process has unfolded thus far.
Detter says design work should take around four months to complete, at which time the project will go out to bid, with physical work hopefully beginning by late spring to early summer 2026. With that timeline in mind, Detter says he is hopeful that phase one upgrades to DeBauge, which will include the addition of at least one turf field, could be completed by the following spring.
Detter says one thing that will impact that timeline is separate, yet related, work on a new access road for the Stormont Vail facility being constructed at West 18th and Road G.
As KVOE News has reported, the project is being funded by separate $1.5 million allocations from the Emporia Recreation Commission and Stormont Vail, as well as a $750,000 CDBG grant awarded by the state of Kansas earlier this year. This was only half of the requested grant allotment, which has led to several discussions in recent weeks regarding the exact scope of Phase One for the project. A clearer picture will emerge once the designs are on paper.
With this in mind, Detter noted the city is still seeking additional grants and funding opportunities, with an application possibly being turned in very soon.
Detter didn’t disclose exactly how much the city is seeking solely for phase one work, but says the city will be looking for roughly $10 million to completely fund all phases of the planned updates over the next several years.
In separate business Wednesday, commissioners approved the following motions:
*Amendment to the budget with the library, bond and interest, water and industrial funds all exceeding budget authority. No additional tax dollars needed for said amendment.
*An “initial findings resolution” to establish the Cedarbrook Meadows Reinvestment Housing Incentive District. Details available here.
*A nearly $275,000 bid to Multicon for repairing the Emporia/Lyon County Transfer Station tipping floor
*Two contracts worth almost $12,000 total to dredge almost 12,000 cubic yards of material from the Peter Pan Park pond
The Emporia City Commission will next convene on Wednesday, January 7th at 11 am at which time the commission will hold its annual business meeting, designate the new Mayor and Vice Mayor and swear in new commissioners Tammi Ogle, Monica Duncan and Kurt Steinkuhler, among other business.
