It feels like we’ve been waiting awhile, but Wichita won’t get these things until 2023

You’ve just perused the list of what Wichita has to look forward to in 2022.

But what about Top Golf? What about that new Scheels store at Towne East Square?

Although those projects have been on Wichita’s radar for some time, they’re among many anticipated additions that won’t develop until 2023. Here’s a list of some of the things that will require another year’s worth of patience:

▪ Top Golf: After a long, long wait, Top Golf construction should start on the southeast corner of 29th and Greenwich sometime next year, and it should be finished by March 2023. Being built with $10.2 million in state incentives, it will be an interactive golf and entertainment venue that will be two stories and have 50 golf bays, similar to but a bit smaller than the Overland Park Top Golf Wichitans may have visited.

▪ Scheels opening: The national sporting goods and entertainment chain is coming to Wichita and taking over the former Sears space at Towne East Square. Although construction will continue through 2022, the opening of the 222,000 square-foot store won’t happen until spring of 2023. In addition to shopping, Scheels will offer interactive arcade games, sports simulators, a cafe and a candy store.

▪ Towne East Square remodel: Wichitans will also notice construction going on next year at the east-side mall, which is getting a multi-million dollar remodel that will update the look of the exterior and interior and add outdoor seating areas, new upper-level flooring and updated entrances and landscaping. Though work will get started next year, it also won’t be complete until spring 2023.

▪ Pickleplex: opening: The Park and Recreation Department’s South Lakes Pickleplex, a $3 million complex that will feature about 20 pickleball courts and a small clubhouse with restrooms and a pro shop, should be ready sometime in 2023. It will be at South Lakes Park, just north of Campus High School near 55th South and Meridian.

▪ Delano Multimodal Center: The project — a 543-space parking garage and bus station — should be completed on Sycamore Street across from Riverfront Stadium sometime in 2023. It will have six levels of parking, bus lanes, electric bus and vehicle charging stations, and bike and scooter rental spaces, and it’s intended to alleviate Delano and downtown parking congestion by allowing people to park and get on the Q-Line, a city bus, a scooter or a bike to travel to their destinations. The center will also have office and retail space on the first floor.

▪ Phil Ruffin development near Kellogg and the turnpike: Casino magnate Phil Ruffin shared over the summer his plans to build a big development with retail, restaurants and entertainment options on the piece of property he purchased west of Kellogg and Webb — where Kmart and Michaels craft store used to be. Though there won’t be much to see in 2022, said a Ruffin spokesman, the project should get off the ground in 2023.

▪ Clapp Golf Course project: It’s a long-term project, which means the first of four phases likely won’t be complete until late 2023 or possibly even 2024. But L.W. Clapp Golf Course at 4611 E. Harry will be the subject of a $28 million redevelopment approved by the Wichita City Council in November that will eventually include a two-story restaurant, park space, indoor and outdoor farmers markets, basketball courts, a band shell and a next-level splash pad. Phase 1, which should cost around $16.3 million, should include park and playground areas, walking trails and the farmers market area.

▪ Hamilton on Century II: Broadway in Wichita announced in March 2020 that it would bring the Tony-award winning musical “Hamilton” to Wichita” for its 2021-2022 season — then the COVID-19 pandemic hit and everything was put on hold. A spokesperson said that a date for Hamilton still hasn’t been set, though it’s scheduled to be a part of the 2022-2023 series. Considering that “The Lion King,” which also was pushed back because of the pandemic, will likely draw big crowds for Broadway in Wichita this spring, it’s probably safe to bet that it’ll be 2023 before Hamilton hits Wichita.

This story was originally published January 2, 2022 at 5:00 AM with the headline "It feels like we’ve been waiting awhile, but Wichita won’t get these things until 2023."

Denise Neil

The Wichita Eagle

316-268-6327

Denise Neil has covered restaurants and entertainment since 1997. Her Dining with Denise Facebook page is the go-to place for diners to get information about local restaurants. She’s a regular judge at local food competitions and speaks to groups all over Wichita about dining.