KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Four Kansas City-area projects received $50 million in funding Friday when Missouri Gov. Mike Parson announced a series of awards from the state’s Department of Economic Development.
The Port Authority of Kansas City was awarded $40 million, while the cities of Independence ($5 million), Chillicothe ($2.5 million) and St. Joseph ($2.5 million) received another $10 million combined, according to a list of projects provided by the governor’s office.
A total of $75 million was awarded, using federal dollars received from the American Rescue Plan Act — the Biden administration’s $1.9-trillion COVID-19 stimulus package, which Congress passed in March 2021.
Independence said the money will go toward paying for infrastructure, including an electrical substation and roadwork, for the $1 billion Eastgate Commerce Center, which broke ground in November 2022 and is the largest economic-development project in the city's history.
The 1,100-acre mixed-use industrial park, which is located at Little Blue Parkway and Missouri 78, will include 10-million-square-feet of industrial space, 20 buildings and new parkland, trailheads and a dog park.
NorthPoint Development, based in Riverside, has partnered with Independence on the project, which also will include a Learning and Career Center focused on logistics and supply-chain careers in partnership with the Fort Osage, Blue Springs and Independence school districts.
Independence and NorthPoint had sought $35 million for the project, but were happy to be among the projects selected for any capital investment.
"The City and NorthPoint Development appreciate the support of the Governor’s Office to invest in this transformational project," according to a statement attributed to the city and developer.
The entire project will take 15 years to complete.
Chillicothe plans to use the money to begin construction of a new industrial park.
“We’re super excited,” City Administrator Roze Frampton said. “We’re thrilled that we are going to get this opportunity to get our park started.”
Chillicothe purchased 300 acres of farmland in late 2021 to develop into a new industrial park. The grant money will pay for an access road to the new park.
The city had asked for $3.5 million.
“We were waiting on this money to get going,” Frampton said.
A spokesperson for the Port Authority said the project hasn’t been announced but will be in the coming months and messages with St. Joseph officials had yet to be returned.
The funds were awarded for projects to help “develop shovel-ready industrial sites to support business expansion and attraction” through the Industrial Site Development Grant Program, which launched in December 2022, the governor’s office said in a release announcing the awards.
Projects could not request more than half of the project’s total cost in grant money.
No other details of the projects were provided, but KSHB has reached out for more details.
“Strengthening our state’s economy through business attraction and growth remains a top priority of our administration,” Parson said in a statement. “Through the Industrial Site Development Grant Program, we’re continuing to promote Missouri’s economic prosperity by delivering the infrastructure and resources that companies need to thrive. We look forward to the benefits this program will provide for businesses and communities statewide.”
Two-thirds of the money was earmarked for sites larger than 1,000 acres and the selected projects will be used to develop 9,700 acres for industrial use.
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