SFAAP Report: Park board moves ahead with land application

[hdqrs@worldnet.att.net]

Park board moves ahead with land application 

By GRACE HOBSON The Kansas City Star 
Date: 02/17/99 23:13 

Johnson County park officials will formally ask the federal government
today for 2,800 acres of land at the defunct Sunflower Army Ammunition
Plant near De Soto.

The request is for far more land than the Oz Entertainment Co. would like
to use for its World of Oz theme park and resort. 

The land application, which was approved Wednesday night by the county
park and recreation district board, goes to the National Park Service. The
park service then will make a recommendation to the federal officials who
are getting rid of the 9,065-acre plant.

At the same time federal officials mull the request, the government is
considering selling all the land to the state for development and
environmental cleanup by Oz officials.

The federal government may require the state to turn over some of the land
to the park district. But Oz officials do not want to give up as much land
as the county wants. 

In the northeast corner of the plant near Kill Creek Regional Park, the
county is asking for 790 acres. Oz plans show much less parkland in that
area, so the park district last month said it could live with 389 acres at
the site. 

The park district hopes the larger request will prevail with the federal
or state officials who end up dividing the land.

The request "hopefully should tell them it's acreage that would be
appropriate as parkland or open space," said board member Craig Kenworthy. 

To reach Grace Hobson, Johnson County government reporter for The Star,
call (816) 234-7744 or send e-mail to ghobson@kcstar.com