Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Sedgwick County Commissioners voted to take the Kansas Coliseum off the market for 60 days to let a potential buyer survey the property.

Developer Johnny Stevens has offered the county $1.5 million dollars for the coliseum. Stevens has told county leaders he would lease the building to the National Institue of Aviation Research or NIAR.

Stevens wants 60 days to look at the property to see if everything will work for his plans.

Commissioner Richard Ranzau voted against the issue saying he accepted a lot of campaign money from Stevens and he promised Stevens he would not grant anyone special deals. The county had previously planned to hire a broker to market the property. This deal came before that happened. Ranzau said the county wasn't following it's plan by accepting any deal now.

Chairman Dave Unruh shot back saying this is not a special deal. The coliseum is deteriorating and is off the tax rolls and something needs to be done sooner than later.