Recreation

Clay County can claim the most extensive recreational amenities of any county in the metropolitan area.

Discussion of Clay County recreation must start with Smithville Lake. It is by far the largest such facility in the region, with 7,200 acres of water and an additional 5,500 acres of public land, including three huge parks with camping, picnic sites, a golf course and swimming beaches. There is also a 3,000-acre waterfowl refuge that attracts winter flocks of Bald Eagles.

Watkins Mill State Park includes a 150-acre lake surrounded by nearly four miles of paved hiking and walking trails, camping and picnic facilities. A 19th century woolen mill and mansion are the scene of historical re-enactments and demonstrations.

Clay County communities provide extensive recreational facilities. North Kansas City recently opened a state of the art community center, complete with indoor walking track, swimming facilities and a climbing wall. Liberty's community center includes indoor and outdoor swimming and a 700-seat theatre. Kansas City, Gladstone and Excelsior Springs also boast extensive recreational facilities, including numerous ball fields and sports complexes. Kearney, though one of Clay County's smaller communities, already has some of the largest sections of a biking/hiking trail network.

Six public golf courses include Kansas City's Hodge Park, which is being doubled to 36 holes. Private courses include Liberty Hills, recently rebuilt to championship levels, and the new Staley Farms Golf Course.

Clay County's most unique recreational offerings are the two giant amusement parks, Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun. These world-class parks feature areas for all ages.

Clay County is also building a comprehensive trail system that includes on-road bicycle facilities and off-road trails for a variety of users. Part of a 20-year strategic plan, the system will include municipal trails linked by a county system.

Tourism

Clay County may be one of the few metropolitan counties that can look to tourism and tourism-related issues as a major economic force.

Much of this starts with the famous, or infamous Jesse James. Especially for Liberty and Kearney, Jesse James represents not just a regional or even a national attractive. The Jesse James Bank Museum in Liberty and Jesse James Farm and Museum in Kearney receive international attentionand traffic. The sites, operated by Clay County, bring a steady, widespread focus that is unlike anything in the metropolitan Kansas City area.

The county's tourism boosters have tried for years to better exploit the situation with mixed results. However, both public and private groups have improved and marketed a group of historic locations that include the James sites as well as Watkins Woolen Mill, the Shoal Creek Living History Museum and the Mt. Gilead Church and School.

The biggest tourism numbers come from other areas. Smithville Lake is the best example of a truly huge draw that is impacting the area on several fronts.

First, Smithville's 7,190 acre's of water is often underappreciated. The lake is nearly three times larger than the combined water surface of Jackson County's Longview, Jacomo and Blue Springs lakes. Features such as its three large campgrounds, gun club and 20-miles of equine trails are unlike anything offered at a single location in the region.

Located only 25 minutes from downtown Kansas City via four-lane Highway 169, Smithville's impact on development is also significant. Some of the area's most unique custom homes are being constructed at several lake-area locations, especially near the high-use Little Platte Park.

Another unique aspect of Clay County's tourism is its two large casinos, Ameristar near I-435 and Highway 210 and Harrah's near Highway 210 and Chouteau Trafficway. Although both receive a high level of patronage from local residents, they also serve as primary and secondary destinations for tourists while offering increasing attractiveness for local convention planners.

Ameristar is especially located to capture a less visible form of tourism: motorists coming from northern Missouri, Iowa or Nebraska using I-435, I-35 and I-29. It is no coincidence that Kansas City's largest casino/recreation complex, Ameristar, is located on one of Clay County's busiest roadways: I-435 at Highway 210, which saw more than 45,000 cars daily as early as 1997. In terms of tourism, a key is the route's direct connection from Iowa and Northern Missouri to the Truman Sports complex.

A final, uniquely Clay County tourism business is the long-time, twin successes of Oceans of Fun and Worlds of Fun facilities. Originally developed by Hunt Midwest, the two amusement parks are now owned by Ohio-based Cedar Fair, L.P., which owns and operates six amusement parks and five water parks nationwide. Both have experienced steady attendance growth between three and four percent annually.

Prime Location & Transportation

The good and the bad of Clay County have always been evident in its transportation system.

The region boasts an excellent Interstate and highway system. I-35, I-435, I-29 and M-169 form an excellent network of four-lane highways that are largely under utilized, even during rush hour.

Less positive is the relative lack of major east-west corridors connecting this network. Highway 152 is an exception, providing four-lane transportation from Liberty west to Platte County. The city of Kansas City has plans for more boulevards like Shoal Creek Parkway, which winds from Pleasant Valley north toward new subdivisions along 96th Street. A similar construction is connecting Woodland and Barry Road, just west of Maple Woods Community College.

Other efforts are planned within five to 10 years. Vivion Road has been recommended for major improvement to create a “Northland” parkway, blending with residential development and connecting nearby parks with bicycle and pedestrian paths.

A second interchange on I-35 at Kearney is being studied to relieve congestion at the single exit for that growing community. In Liberty, a proposed South Liberty Parkway would connect I-35 and Highway 69 near Pleasant Valley with Highway 291 to the east.

These projects will involve more than moving cars. The South Liberty Parkway would open more than 2,000 acres of land already served by water and sewer, but currently accessible only by narrow roads.

Clay County is strong in other transportation services. Both the Burlington and Norfolk Southern railroads have extensive facilities throughout the county, including Norfolk Southern's modern intermodal system near SubTropolis on Highway 210. Less visible is the Missouri River shipping channel. Seven barge lines operate in the metropolitan area with 41 docks and terminal facilities.

Clay County's best-kept secret may be its air facilities. Although neighboring Platte County hosts Kansas City International Airport, most Clay Countians can reach that facility in 15 to 20 minutes. Clay County also has the Kansas City Downtown Airport and the Clay County Regional Airport.

The Downtown Airport was originally built as Kansas City Municipal Airport. This airport has a 7,000-foot runway and is less than one mile from downtown. Clay County Regional Airport currently has a 4,000-foot runway, but a $7.5 million project begun this fall will increase that to allow for jet cargo aircraft. Clay County Airport is located on the Highway 69 corridor between Liberty and Excelsior Springs. Rail lines parallel this four-lane highway, increasing its long-term potential for industrial growth.

Economy & Thriving Growth

With the release this year of new Census figures on population and economics, Clay County continued its long pattern of steady though not spectacular growth.

Between 1990 and 2000, Clay County's population rose 19.9 percent, from 153,411 to 184,006. This was considerably higher than Missouri as a whole where population increased 9.3 percent. Clay County also did well in terms of median household income, with a 7.8 percent gain, to $48,347.

Kearney experienced some of the county's most outstanding growth, with a nearly 205 percent growth rate between 1990 and 2000. Kearney's household income rose 32.6 percent, making its $56,603 average the highest in Clay County.

Smithville also saw significant growth with a 188.4 percent population increase and a 27.2 percent household income growth.

The number of deeds filed with the County Recorder's office also indicated a steady pattern. From 1999 to the present, August 2002 was the single most active month, despite national economic issues. In fact, 2002 activity exceeded that for past years in all but May and June, showing a steady increase.

Ranked fourth in retail sales of Missouri counties, Clay County actually employs more people in manufacturing: 14,743 in manufacturing to 11,919 for retail. A notable number (4,707) work in the wholesale trade. Though statically smaller, a significant number (4,689) work in health care and social assistance, while 3,362 were found in professional, scientific and technical services.

A list of Clay County's top employers by number of employees for 2001 illustrates Clay County diversity, with organizations from seven different industries: Ford Motor Company, 6,034; North Kansas City School District, 2,394; Ameristar Casino, 1,944; Cerner Corporation, 1,828; Worlds of Fun, 1,800; Harrah's Casino, 1,800; North Kansas City Hospital, 1,594; Hallmark Cards, Inc., 1,264; Farmland Industries, 1,048; and Liberty Hospital, 845.

This diversity is cited by Clay County leaders as a reason for the area's relatively stable economy. Although some industries suffered recently, the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center in August noted automobile and other manufacturing jobs rose significantly. This is among the reasons that Clay County, with the Ford Plant in Claycomo, had the lowest unemployment of any surrounding counties. At the same time, Clay County businesses can tap neighboring counties for workers in less competitive job markets.

The Workforce

Recently measured at 3.7 percent, Clay County's low unemployment can make filling jobs difficult. Minimum wage and service industry jobs are especially challenging.

Several factors moderate and even counterbalance this. Clay County is surrounded by counties with much lower unemployment. These populations often expect to commute relatively long distances. Ray and Clinton counties to the north and east recently listed 4.5 and 5.0 percent unemployment, compared to Clay's 3.7 percent. Farther northeast, Caldwell County listed 7.1 percent unemployment.

All of these counties share an important labor trait with Clay: their labor forces consistently earn high marks for productivity. Whether this is due to rural, small-town traditions or other factors, these areas generally provide workers who bring a positive work ethic.

Some figures also indicate that the tight service workforce is exaggerated. A study by the Northwest Missouri Dept. of Economic Development found that the Kansas City, North suburbs had the largest available labor force in the metro area for two key categories: More than 35,000 workers were available for $10 an hour and 46,190 for $12 an hour.

Other aspects of this issue are even more favorable to Clay County. The population here boasts a higher education rate than the national average. Clay County also hosts a significant job-training network, including career and re-direction programs at Maple Woods Community College and other institutions specializing in job-training programs.

Financial assistance is available for companies accessing these projects. The Division of Workforce Development offers assistance for recruitment, placement, training and incentives, including tax credits. The Clay County Economic Development Council and other area organizations provide assistance in accessing these programs, including efforts at specific employers.

The Clay County Master Plan

Clay County's Vision 2010 is both a master plan and an award-winning multimedia presentation by the well-respected HNTB planning firm. Complete with sound, this presentation is available on CDs from the Clay County Economic Development Council.

Like the master-plan study, the CD first examines Clay County's location and environment, noting the region's diversity, from dense industrial areas to open farmland. A major focus of Vision 2010 is to create the planning tools to maintain this environment and quality of life.

Commissioned in 1998, the Vision 2010 study represented a successful effort to coordinate Clay County's urban and rural growth so that both reach their maximum potential. For the first time, both Clay County municipalities and unincorporated areas were examined.

The single most strategic finding was the need for better utilization of unincorporated land around Clay County towns and cities. Without this step, future growth could be hindered and its quality reduced.

During the 1990s, extensive rural housing development took place on 3-5 acre lots. However, these low-density areas are often too costly for cities to ever annex because the density is too costly to serve. As a result, these regions become locked into a low-density development and form a barrier against future community growth.

A related issue involves a growing concern for environmental issues, including the potential groundwater pollution from the growing number of septic systems for this low-density housing. The study concluded that this could become a problem if past growth patterns were allowed to continue.

Vision 2010 identified two steps to solve these challenges: an updating of the Clay County master plan for unincorporated areas, and the comprehensive Vision 2010 uniting county and municipal plans into a coordinated effort.

The 2010 study also included protection of Clay County's abundant natural resources, enhancement of the region's recreational resources and planning for the necessary investment for transportation. The transportation component covered examination of critical highway linkages, especially east-west connections. It also provided for extensive trails and greenways to enhance Clay County's quality of life.

For growth in Clay County's unincorporated areas, Vision 2010 created a “tiered development” zoning plan with three levels of development. For those areas immediately surrounding towns and cities, the plan requires new county development at an urban density. Large-lot development typical of Clay County growth in the 1990s would be allowed only in those areas where future annexation is unlikely. The third tier would require agricultural use in those areas likely to remain rural.

The report concluded that Clay County is positioned to become a high quality growth area and meeting these challenges will ensure quality growth through the year 2010 and beyond.

« PREVIOUS | HOME | NEXT »