LJWorld.com / Oz extension expected to pass

Archive for Thursday, March 22, 2001

Committee considers giving more time to theme park

March 22, 2001

A House committee is expected to vote today on a bill that gives the proposed Wonderful World of Oz theme park another year to resolve its differences with Johnson County Commission.

"I expect it to pass," said Rep. Bill Mason, an El Dorado Republican and chairman of the House New Economy Committee.

The Johnson County Commission last week asked lawmakers to add a year to a bill first passed in 1998, creating tax breaks for Oz Entertainment Co., the proposed park's developer.

The initial bill included a July 1, 2001, deadline. House Bill 2573 extends the deadline to July 1, 2002. The request for more time came after commission members were unable to break a 2-2 tie vote on whether to endorse Oz plans to convert the former Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant near DeSoto to a theme park, office complex and residential development.

Commission members have said they will use the additional time for an independent analysis of the park's costs and benefits.

Previous analyses were conducted by Oz officials, causing commissioners Susie Wolf and Annabeth Surbaugh to doubt their objectivity.

The new study is expected to take six to eight months, costing Johnson County taxpayers between $80,000 and $100,000.

Mason said he expects the bill to pass because it was requested by the Johnson County Commission.

"That might not be true if the Oz people were the ones asking for it," he said. Some legislators said they're tired of Oz calls for special treatment.

"I'm opposed to it," said Rep. Troy Findley, D-Lawrence, a member of the House New Economy Committee. "I don't care how many times they click their ruby red slippers, I'm not at all convinced we're going to find an Emerald City at the end of this yellow brick road."

"It's nothing but a land grab," said Rep. John Ballou, R-Gardner, whose district includes the defunct Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant.

"There's been enough time spent studying this," Ballou said.

Despite their opposition, Ballou and Findley each predicted the bill will pass the House.

"It's going to be hard to stop," Findley said.

If the bill gets out of the House, Sen. Nick Jordan, R-Shawnee, predicted it would pass the Senate.

"How it does in the House is the test," Jordan said.