Brian Neben, NRG Media
KEARNEY — The Younes Landing project progressed another step with the approval of a tax request by the Kearney Community Redevelopment Authority during their meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 16.
The hospitality district developed by Paul Younes on the south side of the community already includes three conference centers, seven hotels and several restaurants.
The new Younes Landing addition will jump across the lake and include a new dual hotel and a new multi-purpose district.
The dual hotel will be four stories and will feature a pool and a market area.
The new addition will also feature two 36,000 square buildings, which will be occupied on the main floor by restaurants and retail spaces, with apartments on some of the second floors.
Additionally, the City of Kearney is building streets and infrastructure for the recently approved Kearney SportsPlex. Ground was recently broken on the 209,000 square foot facility and is scheduled to be open in late 2024.
The new sports complex will be located near Younes Landing.
During the Community Redevelopment Authority (CRA) meeting, Assistant City Manager Brenda Jensen said the plan is to create a new General Business Occupation Tax (GBOT) agreement with Younes Landing.
The GBOT is remitted to the City of Kearney on a monthly basis by all Kearney businesses located in the Enhanced Employment Area.
The GBOT agreement and issuance of a tax note for Younes Landing was approved by the CRA board.
The next item considered was payment for an agreement with Miller and Associates for a blight and substandard agreement for Area 13, an area on the northeast side of Kearney.
A blighted property is a physical space or structure that is no longer in acceptable or beneficial condition to its community.
A property that is blighted has lost its value as a social good or economic commodity or its functional status as a livable space.
The cost is $6,000.00 and will be paid when the study is complete.
Jensen said the area in question is around 80 acres. The CRA approved the study.
The last two items were amending the legal description of a project undertaken by Kearney Investment Corporation in 2018, with the CRA approved.
During reports and comments, City Manager Mike Morgan provided several updates including showing a video of the layout Kearney SportsPlex.
Morgan said the Yanney Pavilion is set to open in October with more landscaping to be done next spring.
When discussing street projects, Morgan said due to the increases in labor and nearly all materials, costs have increased considerably, to the point where only one major street project can be completed per year.
With municipalities receiving federal COVID-19 funds, many are using them for infrastructure projects and they have to spend their funds within a set amount of time. The result is an increased demand for contractors, all at the same time.
Morgan said to adjust to the situation, they plan to get their projects and send them out to contractors far earlier than in the past.
He added there are grant funds available, but only within a set timeframe and is another reason to design projects sooner.
