The Emporia Recreation Commission Steering Committee is moving forward with plans for a new recreation center at Jones Aquatic Center and renovations to Lee Beran Rec Center. However, sudden cost increases have complicated the plan going forward
At the monthly meeting Tuesday, City Manager Trey Cocking says the overall cost jumped 15 percent, with the numbers coming to light shortly before Tuesday’s meeting. Cocking says that was enough to make the overall project unworkable based off the proposed payment method, a 0.25-cent, 20-year sales tax.
Exact areas of cost increases weren’t discussed, but new facility costs went from $15 million to $19 million. Renovation costs were around $6 million.
Steering Committee Chair Deon Morrow admits the new information was surprising.
Committee members agreed to focus the new center at Jones Aquatic Center, given roughly $1 million in a range of preliminary projects needed at Champions Landing — the other main option — that would not be needed at Jones. For now, the overall plan still includes much of what residents mentioned as needs in public recreation facilities, like additional gymnasiums, a wider walking track and two bodies of water for indoor aquatics, but committee members started discussing the removal of several amenities, including one of three gymnasiums and a water slide. Committee members Jami Reever and Jennifer Kraus both say any plans for cost savings — or project cuts — should also impact the renovation plans for Lee Beran, although specifics were not addressed Tuesday and no decisions were made for either facility.
Morrow indicates this conversation reflects a greater emphasis on bang for the buck.
Stated opposition to the project has been vocal, largely due to significant job losses the last 18 months — most recently with Michelin laying off 100 workers and Hopkins closing down earlier this year, but starting with the end of operations at Tyson that paused the overall rec center discussion in December 2024. Morrow says “Emporia is hurting,” and he says it’s a fact Steering Committee members know well.
The new overall price tag under consideration remains around $22 million, now as part of an “all-in” budget, including survey work and construction, for a potential 20-year bond. Additional work is now forthcoming to at least partially itemize potential projects at both locations to see what can be removed. The committee will next meet June 9. Tentative plans for a special ballot question, either for this upcoming November or for March 2027, and plans for a public education campaign leading to a vote were not discussed Tuesday.
4:45 pm Tuesday
The Emporia Recreation Commission Steering Committee is moving forward with plans for a new recreation center at Jones Aquatic Center and renovate Lee Beran Rec Center. Whether the overall plan moves forward, however, is up in the air.
Sudden cost increases have complicated plans for a new center. City Manager Trey Cocking says the overall cost jumped 15 percent. At their monthly meeting Tuesday, Steering Committee members agreed to focus the new center at Jones Aquatic Center, given roughly $1 million in a range of preliminary projects needed at Champions Landing that would not be needed at Jones. Committee members also started discussing the removal of several amenities, including one of three gymnasiums and a water slide, without taking action.
Committee members Jami Reever and Jennifer Kraus both say any plans for cost savings — or project cuts — should also impact the renovation plans for Lee Beran, although specifics were not addressed Tuesday.
Additional work is now forthcoming to at least partially itemize potential projects at both locations to see what can be removed. The committee will next meet June 9.
The new overall price tag under consideration is around $22 million “all-in” budget, including survey work and construction, for a potential 20-year bond.
This is a developing story. KVOE News will have updates.
