By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
As the Hays City Commission neared the end of their discussion during Thursday’s work session about a requested property abatement for the former Rodeway Inn Motel, the owner’s representative spoke up from the audience and announced there is a likely buyer for the property.
Elinda Mages, is the owner’s representative and also general manager of the Avid Hotel in Hays.
“We would respectfully ask that you not pass this abatement,” Mages said.
The Rodeway Inn Motel, 3404 Vine St., is owned by HKHR Hospitality Inc. and was shut down by the Kansas Fire Marshal last year for significant structural damage. On Oct. 5, 2024, the fire marshal was notified by the owner that the motel was closed.
If an abatement is approved by commissioners at next week’s regular meeting and the owner takes no action to remedy the issues, the city will hire a contractor to demolish the structure, and all abatement costs will be charged to the property owner.
“That doesn’t mean if you were to approve the resolution, that on day 11 after that, we’re going to have bulldozers there,” said Toby Dougherty, city manager.
“We do have a letter of intent from someone to purchase the property,” Mages told the commission.
“I’m not at liberty to give who it is, but it is a national chain. It’s a pretty sure thing. This chain has been looking at Hays for a while. In that purchase, they would be responsible for the building. We’re just waiting to finalize everything.”
Mages said she did not have a time frame for closing on the property purchase.
City Attorney Don Hoffman said he didn’t think an abatement would legally affect a potential sale.
Commissioners stressed they do not want to stand in the way of progress or a potential purchase.
Public Works Director Jesse Rohr said in the past, there have been situations where an abatement resolution was passed, and the owner then stepped in to rehabilitate or demolish the property’s contents.
“It gives staff the ability to take action if nothing happens,” said Mason Ruder, vice-mayor.
“As long as communication continues, nobody’s going to jump out there and mess up a sale,” said Mayor Sandy Jacobs. “We all want the same thing, I think.”
“We are in the process of contracting with an auctioneer to sell the personal property so it doesn’t just go to a landfill,” Mages said.
The former Budget Inn property, 810 E. Eighth St., was also scheduled for an abatement discussion but was removed from the agenda.
Jarrod Kuckelman, assistant city manager, told the Hays Post after the work session, “progress has been made on cleaning up the property (owned by Mark Ottley) and demolition is scheduled to begin Monday.”
In other business, commissioners reviewed an ordinance to establish a Reinvestment Housing Incentive District and a plan for developing 101 houses and public facilities in the Tallgrass 2nd Addition, Phase 4 at the northeast corner of Wheatland Avenue and 22nd Street.
The private developer, Heart of America Development Corporation of Ellis County, requests the district financing on a pay-as-you-go basis for 25 years.
Heart of America proposes the city finance the majority of the district-eligible costs and construct the infrastructure, utilizing the district revenues to offset the city’s costs. Revenues will come from incremental property tax revenues collected on the project site.
A low bid award was also considered for constructing a stormwater equipment storage building by QMC, Inc., Gove County, for $292,650. QMC most recently built the Hays Microfactory.
