OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — The list of STAR bond projects includes the Bluhawk development near 159th Street and U.S. Highway 69. They’ve been working on this land for decades. The early phases of Bluhawk saw the construction of various housing developments, an AdventHealth hospital and parts of a retail area, with more to come.
It’s been 20 years since Price Brothers and developers bought the land for Blue Hawk and nearly opened its main event, AdventHealth Sports Park, and the Blue Hawk concept has become many things since 2004. PB Vice President of Development Bert Loewen said the idea of combining sports and retail has remained the same.
The sports park will be a 420,000-square-foot facility focused on youth sports, with full-size basketball and volleyball courts that can double as soccer fields, as well as a hockey arena, which Loewen called the anchor for the entire area.
It was built using Star Bonds, and he says the economic activity that the sports park will generate will help pay for the other phases of the development, like the retail section that’s there now, and the retail space that they’ve just announced.
“Similar to the boundary of a field where athletes play within a sports venue, The Boundary at Blue Hawk is a playing field for retailers to provide a shopping and dining experience,” said PB Development Vice President Bert Loewen.
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The new shopping area, called “The Boundary,” will be located directly across from Sports Park and will feature 200,000 square feet of shopping, dining and green space that Loewen hopes will provide plenty of entertainment for visitors within walking distance of the arena.
“What’s coming to The Boundary that we don’t currently have at Blue Hawk is three outdoor areas that will give you a place to just hang out on a Saturday or hang out in between events,” Loewen said. “This experience we’re creating here is no longer just about sports or what to do in between games. This complete experience is what consumers are looking for.”
The next phase to open at Blue Hawk is the Sports Park, which is scheduled to be completed in October 2024. It will be followed by The Boundary in spring 2026. Loewen said the next phase of Blue Hawk’s development is still being worked out, as he expects the project to be paid off before the STAR bond expires.
