KSHB 41 News reporter Braden Bates covers parts of Jackson County, Missouri, including Lee's Summit. Send Braden a story idea by e-mail.
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The Lee’s Summit City Council voted 8-1 Tuesday night to approve a special use permit for an inflatable soccer dome after more two hours of comments from residents for and against the project.
Those in favor of the projects said it will allow Lee's Summit soccer players to stay in their city to play in big tournaments instead of traveling frequently across the state line into Kansas to play in the top tournaments.
Neighbors who live near where the dome will be place gave the project a red card.
The dome will be inflated a total of 16 weeks a year at the planned View High Sports Complex. The developers behind the project said it will add an additional soccer field during the winter months.
The council approved the dome's special use permit for five years.
Jackson County
Community mixed on proposed inflatable sports dome in Lee's Summit
The plans for the dome came after the original proposal for the sports complex.
That was one of the reasons Janey Allen said she didn't support the plan.
"For them to allow this kind of project creep to occur in the last several months when the facility hasn’t even been built yet is concerning," Allen said.
Allen lives in the neighborhood next to the project and first brought her concerns to KSHB 41 News in an email. She wanted developers to continue with the original plan, saying the dome would impact the quality of life in her neighborhood.
Brad Weathers is a soccer dad who was in favor of the dome.
"I think it compliments what we already have," Weathers said. "Yes, we have some other facilities, but we need that indoor space, and I think that’s the game changer and that’s what differentiates from other complexes that we currently have."
Weathers said he's spent countless hours driving to Kansas for the same opportunity that could be provided closer to home.
"I’ve wanted something local for a very long time, and so this was the opportunity, so I’m really elated," said Weathers.
Justin Beebe is the managing member at 3D Builders KC, the group behind the project.
"This started because two dads identified an amenity that was significantly lacking in our community," Beebe said. "And we decided to take action to fix that."
He said the project's benefits to the community are strong. He, along with his team, were able to get over 500 letters of support, according to city council documents
"We feel that the use of the dome expands opportunities for the youth athletes in the community and provides a better overall project for the community and addresses some of the concerns that some in the community had with the our project," Beebe said.
Neighbors say the problem with the dome is how close it would be to the neighborhood for the 16 weeks it is inflated.
"While that is up it will be this kind of looming structure, that if you don’t see it from your house, you will see it coming and going, if you’re out walking, so I feel it will affect the quality of life," Lawrence Clos said.
Allen said she supports any city council decision, even though the decision did not go her way..
"I know as well as our neighbors know we have done everything we can do to make our voices heard," Allen said.
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