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Area Development
Astra Enterprise Park
Known formerly as the Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant property, this new home of Panasonic's $4B advanced battery production facility is a 9,000+ acre enterprise park with utility-scale renewable energy on site.
When complete, the park will be shrouded by thousands of acres of public parks, hundreds of acres dedicated to public service, as well as state-of-the-art manufacturing, industrial and energy-production developments.
Flint Commerce Center
Flint Commerce Center is a 370-acre industrial park at 103rd St. and Edgerton, which is currently being readied for light industrial uses. This project is the culmination of years of hard work by the City and the De Soto Economic Development Council who secured a purchase option for the land in 2020, and selected Flint Development as the master developer for the site.
The property is expected to house 5 to 6 million square feet of building space with light assembly, manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution-uses targeted.
Frequently Asked Questions
This Area Development FAQ section is the go-to place where we are sharing all the answers... to the questions we are able to answer, that is!
There are many organizations, businesses, and levels of government all collaborating to ensure this project, and any future project, is properly incorporated into De Soto and the region, as well as be beneficial for the community. That said, there will be answers we are unable to provide because, ultimately, it's not our information to share.
Our promise to De Soto is that once information is shareable, you'll find it here. If you think we missed a topic, drop it in the 'Ask a Question' box below; we might've just not covered it yet!
What did the Governor announce?
In mid-July of 2022, Governor Laura Kelly announced that De Soto, Kansas, will be home to one of the world’s largest state-of-the-art electric vehicle (EV) battery facilities, built by Panasonic Energy Co. The project is expected to drive significant economic activity and opportunities for the local economy and result in an investment of approximately $4 billion.
What will the factory manufacture?
Panasonic Energy plans to expand its production of EV batteries, as the automotive industry shifts to more sustainable electric technologies. This planned state-of-the-art facility will create and supply lithium-ion batteries and accelerate the future of electric vehicle innovation on a global scale.
How many people will be employed through the Panasonic plant?
The plant is expected to employ between 4,000 and 4,500 people.
What type of jobs will be created?
Panasonic will bring thousands of good-paying, high-quality jobs to our state which will be a massive economic benefit for local businesses and our communities for decades to come. This aligns with the goal of making Kansas a destination for industry, defense, education, science, technology, engineering, and innovation.
I'm interested in employment opportunities at the Panasonic facility. How can I apply?
You can visit Panasonic's job portal or search popular job boards like Indeed, ZipRecruiter, and LinkedIn.
Does the State’s APEX Agreement include compensation to De Soto and/or Kansas if Panasonic backs out or severely reduces the product?
Assurances of this nature are typically included in a Development Agreement associated with any local taxing incentive, which is yet to be negotiated.
How will this impact De Soto?
The plant will revitalize part of the long-dormant site of the former Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant, boost our local economy, and create opportunities for local residents and businesses. Our area will be a hub for careers in clean energy. Revenue streams from the facility will boost the City’s budget, allowing us to improve amenities, give us the opportunity to lower taxes in the future, and increase services. It is estimated that the facility will generate $2.5 billion annually in economic activity.
Are my property taxes going to increase?
This project actually provides the City the opportunity and avenue for decreasing the City’s portion of your property taxes in the future; there will be more revenue sources to supplement the City’s budget, so we could lower the mill levy, minimizing the tax burden from residents.
To clarify, the City (local government) only makes up a portion of your overall property taxes; there are many taxing jurisdictions that affect your property taxes (school, fire, county, state), so we can only speak for the City. To better understand property taxes, check out this page on our site!
What is the City’s plan to accommodate the possible influx of residents?
Revitalizing this area provides the City the ability to extend infrastructure (roads, water, sewer) to unserved areas of De Soto; basically, there is land available for housing, but – due to cost - we have been unable to provide water & sewer in much of the area south of K10. No utilities means no development.
The infrastructure paid for by the project generates those opportunities for new land use.
The City already started the preparation & planning process and, over the next eight months, will review and revise policies and codes related to future land use, economic incentives, and other tools that could bring in affordable housing.
Where will all these people live?
It’s important to note, not all these new people will live in De Soto; we are centrally located between Kansas City and Lawrence, so employees will also live in Olathe, Eudora, Lenexa, Shawnee, etc.
As many of our residents might remember, during the height of production at the Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant, there were stories of people living in tents, trailers, and even chicken coops. Thankfully, transportation and housing have changed since the 40’s, and there are many organizations and groups collaborating to ensure this project is a smooth integration into the city and with the residents.
Could the population grow? Absolutely. And the City has already begun the process of planning for that influx through housing studies.
What is the City's plan to accommodate the possible influx of drivers?
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) has begun an impact study and design work on a number of transportation improvements to accommodate the Panasonic facility, future developments at Sunflower, and the surrounding areas. The planned improvements include the following:
- Traffic signals and lane additions to the K-10 interchanges at Lexington Avenue, Edgerton Road, and Evening Star Road;
- The complete reconstruction of 103rd Street and Lexington Avenue between Evening Star and 95th Street to a 4-lane divided arterial roadway that will include bike lanes and sidewalks;
- The construction of approximately 1 mile of arterial section road from 103rd Street southward into the Sunflower property along the main entrance drive
In addition, Flint Development (developer of a separate industrial park at the northwest corner of Edgerton Road and 103rd Street) is reconstructing Edgerton Road between K-10 and 103rd Street. The new road will be a 3-lane section with bike lanes and a sidewalk.
How will this affect Evening Star Road?
The intersection of 103rd and Evening Star Road, and the short section of Evening Star between K-10 and 103rd, will be improved to meet traffic demand. The City, Johnson County, and KDOT are currently working to determine the nature and extent of these improvements.
Who is cleaning up the environmental contaminants at the Sunflower site, which are left over from the property’s time as an ammunition plant?
The Army Corps of Engineers is fulfilling its obligation to clean up all environmentally hazardous materials at the site.
All other remediation – like the removal of blighted buildings -- is the responsibility of the owner, Sunflower Redevelopment Group, LLC.
Where does the money for cleanup come from?
The Federal Government pays for the environmental remediation and has indicated this site is a priority.
When will cleanup be finished?
All soil is expected to be remediated by 2028 and groundwater two years after. However, the Army will continue to sample groundwater for the next 20 to 30 years.
Is De Soto’s water source contaminated?
No; De Soto gets water from the river which goes directly to the City's water treatment plant.
Where is the waste taken?
All hazardous material is taken to a landfill licensed to take hazardous waste. Pipes and concrete that were contaminated by explosives are flash burned; this is a process in which the Army builds a temporary burn pad, stacks wood pallets with the sewers on top, and then ignites the pallets, causing a high enough heat to burn off the explosives. The sifted material then goes to the landfill while some concrete gets reused.
Is there contamination across property lines?
Most production occurred in the center of the plant so cross-property line contamination is unlikely. The Army reported that it hasn’t seen any evidence so far that contamination has crossed property lines.
Who is developing the site?
The Sunflower Redevelopment Group, LLC (SRL) is the owner & developer of the entire 9,000-acre site, of which roughly 6,000 acres are within De Soto city limits.
How is the development being funded?
Development pays for development. All site improvements and public infrastructure needed to support the project are being funded by the developer and Panasonic. A portion of the costs will be reimbursed to the developer or Panasonic from a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district formed as an incentive to the project.
No public funds will be used to develop the facility and, in fact, the community will benefit from revenues and economic activities generated by the project.
It is important to note, the City will be supporting upgrades to Lexington Avenue that will benefit the development. We had previously pledged $2 million towards Lexington Ave improvements in a Capital Improvement Plan initiative, and this opportunity has just set the development in motion.
Are my property taxes going to go up?
This project actually provides the City the opportunity and avenue for decreasing the City’s portion of your property taxes in the future; there will be more revenue sources to supplement the City’s budget, so we could lower the mill levy, minimizing the tax burden from residents.
To clarify, the City (local government) only makes up a portion of your overall property taxes; there are many taxing jurisdictions that affect your property taxes (school, fire, county, state), so we can only speak for the City. To better understand property taxes, check out this page on our site!
How are we going to pay for the more-quickly deteriorating infrastructure?
Additional traffic means additional economic activity. The City’s sales and property tax collections are expected to increase substantially as growth occurs with shopping, dining, lodging, and entertainment venues developing to meet demands. In addition, electric franchise revenues generated by the Panasonic facility will afford opportunities to consider infrastructure improvement projects that would otherwise not be economically feasible.
Who can I contact to bid or offer construction services?
Unfortunately, we do not have a contact for questions related to construction services.
Does the City own the property being developed?
No, the Sunflower Redevelopment Group, LLC (SRL) is the owner & developer of the entire 9,000-acre site. They were transferred ownership from the U.S. Army in 2005.
The City has annexed all 9,000 acres into De Soto, meaning the property is now in city limits.
Will there be solar power at Astra?
The City paved the way for a 2,600-acre Utility-Scale Solar Facility (USSF) to be built at the park. This land was selected because it would NOT run up against any residential areas. As a part of this deal, 2,000 acres of adjacent land will be dedicated to parks and recreation for the community.
What infrastructure is in the pipeline?
- $60 Million in local road improvements. The City is working closely with KDOT to reconstruct 4.5 miles of 103rd Street and Lexington Avenue to a 4-lane divided boulevard. Simultaneously, Flint is reconstructing 1 mile of Edgerton Road to a 3-lane section
- $38 Million expansion to De Soto’s water treatment facility
- $26 Million expansion to De Soto’s sewer treatment facility
- $9 Million for the construction of a new 2 million gallon water tower adjacent to the Panasonic site
- $12 Million for a new Fire Station to be located on the Astra property
Will there be rail service at the site?
While rail service to the Sunflower site is a possibility in the future, there are no immediate plans for rail service to the proposed facility.
Will there be an RFP for right of way acquisition?
Any right-of-way or easements that might be needed for public infrastructure will be acquired in conjunction with the design and construction of the improvements. The City, KDOT, and utility partners are still determining where these acquisitions will be needed. We expect all acquisitions to be negotiated individually with affected property owners, and we will follow all federal, state, and local requirements regarding fair compensation, notice, and public need.