Would you like to attend a NASCAR race, visit the number one tourist destination in Kansas, stay in a hotel with an indoor water park, go to a minor league baseball game, eat in a restaurant with a million dollar arcade, or watch a movie on the largest screen in the U.S. Can’t decide which one to do. Would it help if they were all in one location?

If the answer is yes then pack the family in the car and head for Wyandotte County, Kan. There you will find the Kansas Speedway, Cabela’s, The Great Wolf Lodge, the T-Bones baseball team, Dave and Buster’s, and the Legends Theater.

Wyandotte County, Kan., has developed one of the most interesting travel destinations in the Midwest over the last few years. The key to the development of this 400 acre tract of land in the northwest part of the county is the Kansas Speedway and the adjacent Village West shopping and entertainment district. “Village West would not have happened without the Speedway,” said Bridgette Jobe, Director of Tourism for the Kansas City, Kansas-Wyandotte County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Since it opened in 2001 the seating capacity has been expanded to accommodate nearly 82,000 spectators. The track is built in a bowl shape which means everyone can see the entire track. “Even the people sitting in the first row see the whole track,” said Hogue. There are 43 pit stalls, four garages with room for 120 cars, 68 luxury suites and free parking. That is right, free parking for every event. Tours are available on most Thursday afternoons by calling 913-328-3300.

Cabela’s

Across from the Kansas Speedway is Cabela’s, the number one travel destination in Kansas. Hard to imagine but a retail outlet is the number one destination in Kansas. This 190,000 square-foot store is a showcase for a huge selection of hunting, fishing, and outdoor gear. It is more than a store, however. It features museum quality wildlife displays, outdoor memorabilia, an aquarium, and a restaurant. This store attracted 2.4 million visitors the first five months it was open.

Dick Cabela began his outdoor business in 1961 with a classified ad selling fishing flies from his home in Chappell, Neb. Besides the retail stores, Cabela’s still has its world-famous catalog business. Cabela’s publishes 76 different catalogs per year including specialty books on archery, fly-fishing, and boating. Their catalogs are shipped to all 50 states and 120 countries.

Shopping

Village West features a number of high-quality shopping opportunities. Next door to Cabela’s is the Nebraska Furniture Mart. Home furnishing, appliances, electronics, and flooring of all kinds can be found in this 720,000 square-foot facility. This spring several new and unique stores will open in The Legends Shopping Center.

Great Wolf Lodge

Tired from a day at the races or shopping you can stay at the Great Wolf Lodge just across the free parking lot from Cabela’s. The Great Wolf Lodge has 281 family sized suites, a 49,000 square-foot indoor entertainment area with a water park, an outdoor recreation area, a theme restaurant, and a 6,000 square-foot arcade.

Kansas Speedway

Cabela's

Legends Shopping Center

Great Wolf Lodge
Dave and Busters

 
“Today more than ever, people are taking shorter, more frequent trips and they are traveling by car,” said Russell Archuleta, general manager of Great Wolf Lodge. “Great Wolf Lodge offers an alternative to the expenses associated with traveling to warmer climates, making a family getaway affordable, convenient and almost always less than one tank of gas away.”

Bridgette Jobe said their surveys show that the average stay at the Wyandotte County complex is 2.7 days.

The indoor water park has eight water slides, five pools, a bucket dump that drops a 1,000 gallons of water every few minutes from a 480-foot tall structure, a 90,000 gallon river that winds through the water park, and an adult whirlpool that creates a hot springs retreat. Even though the water park has an outdoor area Jobe said even on warm, sunny days most people can still be found playing in the indoor water park.

Baseball

After a day in the water head over to the Community American Ballpark and take in a Kansas City T-Bones baseball game. This minor league stadium seats 5,768 fans. Formerly the Duluth-Superior Dukes the team moved to Kansas City in 2002 and played their first game at the new park June 6, 2003. The T-Bones play in the Northern League which was founded 1993. Average game day attendance at the T-Bones in 2005 was 5,555 per game. Total attendance for 2005 was 244,414. That number was good for third in the Northern League and fourth in all of independent baseball. Don’t forget the parking is free.

Dining

When you and your family are ready for a unique dining experience Village West has the answer. Go to Dave and Buster’s for lunch or dinner and stay around to enjoy the Million Dollar Midway. The playground for adults and kids features a million dollars worth of video and interactive gaming fun. There are classic games, sports games, action games, and simulator games. Try out Carismo, a NASCAR simulator that puts you in a real race car chassis where you will actually feel the car respond to your every move. The Derby Owner’s Club is a stadium like simulator for one to eight plays. It lets you become the trainer, jockey, and owner of a thoroughbred racehorse. Race your friends in head to head competition.

If that is not your style go into the billiards and shuffleboard room. Take your best shot on a handcrafted solid mahogany and rosewood-railed pool table. A handbook of rules is available to settle arguments and to find more exotic games.

The Legends

We’re not through yet. Why not relax and enjoy a movie at the Legends Theater. This is a state-of-the art theater that features 14 screens. It has luxury seats and a balcony bar. The luxury seats offer at-your-seat service. Push a button and a waiter will respond to take your order.

Dave and Busters and the Legends Theater are part of the Legends at Village West, a premier shopping, dining, and entertainment destination. The Legends is located between Nebraska Furniture Mart and the Community America Ball Park. The Legends at Village West will have 60 stores and restaurants.

There is nothing like the Kansas Speedway and the Village West complex in Kansas or the Midwest. Bridgette Jobe said they expect to attract 10 million visitors per year to this unique travel destination and they are not through. A 400 acre outdoor water park is being planned just east of the Village West that should be open by 2009.