KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City’s mayor said he’s more optimistic than ever about the future of the Country Club Plaza.
Mayor Quinton Lucas and a delegation of city leaders returned Tuesday night from a visit to Dallas, meeting with developers planning to buy the Plaza.
As FOX4 reported in October, Texas-based HP Village Partners — which has ties to the Hunt family who own the Kansas City Chiefs — is interested in buying the Plaza.
HP Village Partners is led by investor Ray Washburne. His wife Heather Hill Washburne, is a great-granddaughter of H.L. Hunt. One of H.L.’s sons was Lamar Hunt, who founded the Kansas City Chiefs.
The move comes after the Plaza’s current owner, Taubman Centers and The Macerich Co., defaulted on nearly $300 million in debt earlier this year.
Developers were hoping to close on the deal by the end of the year, but the Kansas City Business Journal reports negotiations may now stretch into the new year.
Lucas said he’s confident it will get done based on what they discussed during their visit.
“We weren’t afraid to talk about some things that are fairly interesting in KC right now — the future of the Plaza tennis courts, the challenges with Brush Creek and, to your question, public safety,” the mayor said. “Everybody recognizes that a night out on the Plaza is one where people feel safe.”
Lucas said they also discussed housing that fits the Plaza’s style and integrating local businesses into the retail picture.
He said he believes the potential new owners will be good for the Kansas City-area attraction.