An agreement with Bartlett & West engineering firm in Overland Park (B&W) was approved by the Great Bend City Council on Monday as work continues to bring the Sunflower Rod and Customer Association dragstrip back to the Expo Complex. The agreement is for $315,595.
In a related item, City Administrator Logan Burns said the city and Great Bend Economic Development continue to work on a STAR Bond proposal to improve the Expo area with increased seating at the dragstrip, livestock arena, banquet hall with four multi-purpose courts for sporting events, amphitheater, improvements to the existing rodeo grounds and an additional hangar and/or restaurant.
“We’ll be looking to have meetings with SRCA and the Barton County Fair Board later this week and the week following to refine that project plan,” Burns said. “We’re looking to get final approval from the state before the end of the year.”
Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) bonds were created by the Kansas Legislature in 1999 as a tool for cities and counties to develop major commercial, entertainment and tourism areas.
Monday’s action
The action taken by the City Council on Monday is for the engineering firm’s design work at the track. The City has been conducting meetings with B&W over the last couple of months, Burns said.
“We are now in the phase of design where we need to continue to 100% to bid out the project and ultimately a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) for the project.”
The agreement with B&W will cost $315,595. This includes the design of a new timing tower and moving the location of the track approximately 300 feet to the west of the original start line to accommodate future growth if STAR bonds do come to fruition.
“If we were to keep the original location of the start line, that price would be $206,154,” he said. “However, keeping this location would pose challenges for future growth at the track with spectator seating.”
The plan is to get a GMP for both options.
“We should know that answer towards the end of May when we can make that final determination before demolition starts in June.”
Geoff Tavelli with Bartlett & West was on hand Monday to answer questions.
“We’re working through the design right now,” Tavelli said. “We’ve got preliminary track profiles off to Larry Crispe (facility manager at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colo.), who is assisting us. He’s getting that over to the Toyota engineers to run that through some simulations, to see how our finalized profile for the track holds and see if we can get any recommendations on adjustments towards the end.”
The design team is working on a demo package and they are getting the design for the new tower complete in tandem with that.
“We are targeting a late June approval of GMP 1, that we would present to you for demolition only. Then we roll into GMP 2, a final cost, hoping to have that signed by the end of August, with construction starting in late August or September.” Their target is to see “substantial completion” of the track by March 2026, “in time for the SRCA guys to get some test runs out there and be ready, hopefully, for some NHRA sanctioned events out there (in the 2026 racing season).”
Mayor Cody Schmidt asked if the City will be able to get competitive bids on this project.
“I think it’s going to be important that we probably broaden our horizon in the region to make sure we get some good, experienced contractors out here to build you a good track that’s going to last a long time,” Tavelli said. “I don’t think we should have too big of an issue finding contractors that want to bid on this high-profile, pretty cool project. At the end of the day, this is a pretty good feather to put your cap, to bring a product like this to Great Bend, and then to have it on a national stage like that with the NHRA.”
Background
A project to resurface the historic dragstrip at the Great Bend Expo Complex west of town was completed in May of 2021.
Evans, Bierly, Hutchinson and Associates Consulting Engineers of Great Bend (EBH) handled the engineering for a full-depth replacement of the entire track and Suchy Construction won the bid for $1,601,206.54. Great Bend, which owns the track, was awarded 75% funding through the Kansas Department of Transportation Cost Share program.
After completion of the project, the SRCA, the volunteer organization that manages and maintains the track, notified city administration that several high spots existed on the track’s surface that caused dragsters to shake and their wheels to leave the track. Attempts to get the track within specifications led to other problems, until in April of 2023 drag races were halted due to safety concerns. Lawsuits over the dragstrip were settled with Suchy Construction last November and with EBH in December 2024. The City has not disclosed any details of the settlements.
Great Bend City Council meeting at a glance
Here’s a quick look at what happened at the May 5 Great Bend City Council meeting:
• The council approved paying bills to date, as well as the payroll register ending April 26, in the amount of $422,210.58.
• Mayor Cody Schmidt announced four reappointments: Steve Dyer and Jim Hayes to the Airport Advisory Board, Cindy Brooke to the Humane Society Board and Rickee Maddox to the Commission on Aging Board.
• Lakin Ave. from Main Street to Kansas Ave. will be closed from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on June 21 for the Big Bend Bash Car Show.
• Erika Abplanalp received approval for a Cereal Malt Beverage license for La Marina Seafood & Bar 2. The La Marina Restaurant at 2520 10th St., the former location of Leeann’s Restaurant, is opening soon and plans to bring seafood, Mexican dishes and tropical cocktails.
• A tree trimmer’s license was approved for Jace Wikum, doing business as STX Tree Service out of Great Bend.
• The City renewed fire department contracts with the townships of Liberty, Buffalo, Great Bend and South Bend and will provide fire service for another year. The new contract rate includes a 4% increase over the 2024 contracts and will run from Feb. 1, 2025, through Jan. 31, 2026.
• Public hearings were held and two properties were declared to have dangerous buildings. The structure at 201 Walnut that was destroyed by fire is down to just the frame now. The structure at 218 Pine was also destroyed by fire. Monday’s action will allow the City to finish debris removal if the owners don’t; the cost will be added to tax assessments.
• The council approved the purchase of a slide-in pump unit for the Great Bend Fire Department for $37,154.70 from Hays Fire Equipment. Fire Chief Brent Smith said in 2019 GBFD was placed on a list with the U.S. Forest Service for a 5-ton 6x6 military truck to be converted into a brush truck. Earlier this year they took delivery of the truck and requested approval for the tank and pump so that the truck can be placed into service.
“This truck will greatly enhance our ability to fight brush and grass fires, especially in the river basin,” Smith reported. GBFD had two bids; the other was higher and had fewer options. This unit comes through the Air Force and has 14,000 miles on it. It is expected to last 15 years and will eventually replace a smaller truck.
• The dragstrip agreement with Bartlett & West was amended in the amount of $315,595.
