[00:00:14] Speaker A: Hello.
[00:00:14] Speaker B: Welcome to the Roundhouse Podcast with Paul Sullentrop of Wichita State University Strategic Communications. As always, thanks very much for listening. We always appreciate your time. Marty Cornejo and Ashley Cozine of Family Destination Development LLC are our guests. Today. We're going to discuss groundbreaking for the the Regine Fellmire Tennis complex that will become the home of Wichita State University Tennis. Marty is principal partner of Cornejo Companies. Ashley is president of Cozine Memorial Group.
The tennis complex will be part of the Ignite at K96 athletic complex that's on the southeast side of the K96 and Greenwich corridor. Ignite at K96 focuses on creating athletic and sporting venues, indoor and outdoor family entertainment options, restaurants, resort, hotel.
The tennis complex, 12 outdoor and six indoor courts, team accommodations, locker rooms, team rooms, sports medicine and a spectator capacity of 1,500.
The complex is made possible through a private partnership with Family Destination Development, Wichita's civic leadership and Wichita State University.
Through this collaboration, the tennis complex is fully funded for land acquisition and construction totals an estimate of $18 million. So let's start, Marty and Ashley, by having you introduce yourself and tell listeners a bit about your background, your journey to this point and how it's intersected with Wichita State over the years. Marty, I'll let you start.
[00:01:48] Speaker C: Sure.
[00:01:49] Speaker D: Marty Corneo. Paul, first of all, thanks for having us here today. Excited to be here and talk about a little bit about the Ignite project and how it come into play with wsu. So, Marty Cornejo, principal partner of Corneo Companies, lifelong resident of Wichita, family business. My father started in 52, brought the boys into it. Here we are today, now doing a lot of development work. Started in heavy highway construction.
So here we are.
Like I say, born and raised here, families here, kids, grandkids. So happy to be a part of this project.
[00:02:25] Speaker B: Paul, Ashley, give us your background.
[00:02:27] Speaker E: Thank you, Paul. Like Marty said, it's great to be here and thank you for the opportunity. I'm Ashley Cozine. I'm the president of Cozine Memorial Group.
It's a fourth generation family business, much like Marty's family. We've been in Wichita for a long, long time. I've been here my entire life as well. And you know, we're really excited about this project, to be involved in it. We love Wichita. Marty loves Wichita. That's what I love about working with him.
And this is going to be just a really exciting project, I think for our community and for the university.
[00:02:58] Speaker B: So we ran through a lot of the details. An important part of this story is the Star Bonds. And I will let one or both of you explain to the listeners a little bit about Star Bonds, how they work and why they were important to this project. Sure.
[00:03:11] Speaker D: I'll start.
Star Bonds are a tool from the state of Kansas that's put out there for.
For not necessarily developers, but for things to happen. It's really based around economic development, tourism, and it's a great tool that's paid back with sales tax revenue based on the project or in the area. So it worked really well for this.
Obviously you will probably get into this. A $200 million project in whole Star Bonds is a piece of that. And obviously there's a lot of private funding that goes in that as well. That's very important that the folks understand that. So it's a great tool. This particular development.
We came together with the Cozine family and tried to make this happen. And I don't want to say the only way, Paul, but a big part of that, the reason this is in place simply because of Star Bonds that the state has in their toolbox. And we explored and figured out a good way to make this happen and collaborated one with the state, with the city, and that's why we're here today.
[00:04:16] Speaker B: And how is Wichita State and tennis a part of that?
[00:04:20] Speaker D: So the Starbond project, particularly here in Wichita, is based around tourism and multi sport athletic facility, which this is.
That's what makes it comply with the rules and regs of Star Bonds.
So that's how we ended up approaching Wichita State, I guess approaching. We come together kind of at the same time through a collaboration of folks that were passionate about tennis. Wichita State come into play. We had multiple meetings and here we are.
[00:04:51] Speaker E: Marty, I think one other thing too that's important is our project's kind of part of a bigger Starbound project, so maybe address that.
[00:04:59] Speaker D: Correct.
Wichita State Tennis is a port. It's a 35 acre development, KD96 in Greenwich.
The university will take up six acres of it. So there's a lot more development around it. And the whole project as a whole is multi sports athletic facility. So you know, we're talking baseball, not at collegiate level, but more entertainment, go karts, mini golf, restaurants, resort hotels. You mentioned Paul. So there's a lot more to it that will really complement the tennis program. Wichita State University. And I'll be real honest at with K96 highway visibility, Greenwich, I feel, we all feel it's going to give Wichita State even, I don't say better access, but visibility.
And I think it's going to be good for Wichita and our university being located there.
[00:05:49] Speaker B: So take us back to the start. Who looks at that empty acreage and says, hey, this is a place we ought to put a lot of entertainment stuff.
[00:05:57] Speaker D: Ashley, take that.
[00:05:59] Speaker E: Yeah, thanks.
You know, it goes. Honestly, it goes back to about 2005.
We had bought our land in 1995, and as we were going to develop a cemetery, we knew we had extra acreage that we weren't going to fully develop. And so I actually came up with a plan. Cedar Creek Marketplace was the name of it back in 2005.
The only thing out in that area besides our business was really Super Target. George Laheme had just put that in.
But, like, for example, Greenwich did not have access to K96 at the time. There was no interchange there. And so, you know, I talked to some different groups. I actually was able to get a letter of intent with Bass Pro Shop. And so we were excited, but I could not get anybody on board because nobody could see what that could be like someday. And then you fast forward, I think it was about 2014 when the bigger Starbond project came into play with the Forum and the soccer fields, all of that, we were approached. We actually sold some land where the Academy of Sports is right now. And that's how that whole thing kind of took off. And then, you know, a few years ago, I was kind of working on it again and wasn't moving the bar, you know, forward at all. And Marty and Ron's names came up just kind of over and over. And so I reached out to them. I said, would you guys be interested in what I think could be a great opportunity? And here we are today. I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for Ron and Marty.
They are a reason why we're sitting here today.
[00:07:31] Speaker B: And as you mentioned, there's so much going on out there with Stryker and the Sports Forum. Why has that area become such a hotspot for these kind of activities?
[00:07:39] Speaker D: You know, I'll go back to the 2014 timeframe you mentioned, and there's some political figures. You know, take Pete Meissner, for example. He was very instrumental in making that happen. Initially, it just was a hot area. K96 was coming around, and they took a chance on the Star Bonds in that area. You know, you look at the top Gulf, you look at everything that's gone around there, the economic development. You drive through the parking lots and look at the tags on the weekends, they're not Sedgwick County. They're not even Kansas. So it did exactly what it's supposed to do. Paul and I will tell you also, if you talk to the state and you can find this pretty readily, that it's one of the best star bond projects the state has ever done, right along with the Kansas City one by the speedway. So it's something to be proud of. It's worked. That made it easier for us to go to the state and sell them on this. Now, actually, I'm going to jump back to you. Back in the day when his father and you bought that property, I assumed it would always be part of their business. And they said no, Actually said no. Our dream was to develop it into an entertainment area.
So when Ashley did call me and I had multiple visits with him, the first question you asked, you were working with some folks. And he come in and asked me to help with maybe some advice or some guidance and asked me if I'd be interested in doing this project. My first answer was no. No. I know it's probably more than I want to chew and it's a little out of my realm. And then we hooked up a couple weeks later and I said, let's do it. And it's really been such a great partnership. It's been.
I mean, I love their family. They're very well respected and that's vice versa. So here we are off and running with it and that's kind of how we started. And it's been, Paul, it's not been easy. We've been a couple years in the process and, you know, a lot of visits to Topeka and obviously in City hall, and that's what it takes to make it happen.
And so we're, we're over the finish line and as you know, we're going to break ground here on October 20, which is real exciting.
[00:09:41] Speaker B: So what changed your mind? Was there a light bulb moment?
[00:09:44] Speaker D: No, I guess there was. And I guess it's probably my partners, right? And I'm like, God, you know, it's really nothing I've done. I spend most of my waking days on industrial space, you know, warehousing, manufacturing. That's where I've been. And then this is more, I guess you could call it retail and entertainment.
And then I thought back in my younger years in the 90s, our family owned the All Star Sports. We started them and built them. We had one on the east side and west side, so I'm somewhat familiar with that business.
And I had a little, I guess, a little time on my hands with my team. So we decided to do it, but primarily, and I will tell you where their property is, it's been built around it. And I've always wondered before we hooked up why that wasn't developed. Because I think it's the prime piece. You know, you have Topgolf north and Dave and Busters and Aviate. And I always wondered why that wasn't developed. And here and Ashley, correct me if I'm wrong, but it's simply because they were so busy running their business day to day. They knew what they wanted to do, but they didn't have the time to do that. That's why I hooked up with Ashley. And between he and I, we've found time to do it. We've got a good team in place. And so it's going to be right in the heart of that whole Starbond district. And it's going to. I think it's going to be very successful.
[00:10:59] Speaker B: So, Ashley, then if we go back to 1995, this was something you were thinking about already back then?
[00:11:06] Speaker E: Yeah, I would say first and foremost, my dad and I were really interested in purchasing land that we could develop a cemetery. Obviously that's our family business. Not necessarily it wasn't cemetery at the time, but it's developed into that as well as funeral service. But we bought that land and I think realized we never needed that much. And so with K96 and just the visibility, especially on the north side of that, we knew that that part was not ideal for what we were trying to develop. And so, you know, soon after the wheels started turning and I thought, you know what, there's an opportunity to do something else here besides the cemetery. And so it's worked out great. And you know, I think back to 1995, it's incredible because we were really one of the first property owners out there on the other side. Well, K96 had just opened. New Spring Church had just bought land. Trinity Academy had just bought land. But that was all on the outside of K96. I think JB Johnson had bought the land for the collective. Other than that, it was the four of us. And 21st street was, you know, two lane gravel shoulder.
You know, I mean, it was out in the country. It felt like that. And so we decided to jump in, do it. And you know, there was a period of time where I remember thinking, we are way out in the country and there is nothing besides us out here. So it's been incredible to see the growth and the development. I mean, it is so different than when we bought that. However, Long ago. That was 30 years ago, Marty.
[00:12:32] Speaker B: As you mentioned, these type of projects take a lot of time. A lot of people who have we not mentioned that has really helped you guys move this project along.
[00:12:42] Speaker D: You know, obviously there's a lot of paid folks that, you know, attorneys and whatnot. But I will tell you, let's start, start at the state. You know, Lieutenant Governor Tolan's been a lot of help. His staff, Bob north at Department of Commerce has been great help.
City level, the council, Becky Tuttles, that's her district, went to her right off the bat. And again, the shining star that the Starbond district has had made it fairly easy for them to say yes. And you know, the mayor, Lily Wu, had multiple meetings with her. And then of course all the council. So city, state, locally, just our teams we put together, the Cozine family and our group.
It's really been good. And then of course when we hooked up with Wichita State, I obviously met with Kevin Saul, our athletic director many times and he was pretty excited about it. And at first I think we all thought it was maybe too good to be true that we're going to have, you know, a first class tennis facility that will compete with rival anything in the country and Paul bowl will probably get into it. But you know, we traveled and looked at a lot of them to make sure we weren't going to stub our toe. We wanted to be first class. So that's probably in a nutshell, the core group that's got us to this point.
[00:13:59] Speaker E: I think Pete, you mentioned Pete might's not really.
[00:14:01] Speaker D: Pete was great help and let me go back. I did lean on Pete. First of all, I wanted to understand first Starbond project I've done. So it's really new to me too.
Did my homework on that, figured that out. But I did want to talk to Pete because I wanted to make sure what happened, what I heard was successful. That really was. So Pete, I say, guided me, talked to me about how that process went, how long it took, what it was about.
So yeah, he was a good resource for us as well.
[00:14:27] Speaker B: Take us through other plans for that area. What will people be able to do when it's all as it becomes a. A reality.
[00:14:34] Speaker D: Reality sooner than you think. With breaking ground on the 20th of October, we'll be following up very soon with family. I call it family entertainment. You're talking go karts, mini golf, water features, resort hotel, home run dugout, which is a concept out of Texas that's baseball driven.
I would call it the top Golf, baseball, but topgolf field. So it's very family driven.
So a lot of that to happen. They'll be on the property as you drive by it now, look over there. It looks wooded, looks like a forest. It's a gorgeous piece of property. There's water on it. We're going to take advantage of the water features. You know, you could see some zip lines. And there's other things to come. There'll be pad sites for potential restaurants that will conform. And one thing we did with all the neighbors you've got. There's a lot around us, Paul. And one thing we don't want to do is compete and take away from. Nor does the state want you to do that. They want everything to complement each other. So we're being real methodical about doing that correctly.
But I think it's going to be something that Wichita will definitely be proud of.
[00:15:44] Speaker E: You know, one thing we didn't mention yet, but when we were doing the studies from the area, the visitor count is what, 7 million people a year. And so when you think about all those people coming to that area and then even potentially more so with what we're doing, it's a big number.
[00:16:01] Speaker D: And that is correct. We had to do a study. Obviously the state requires that to make sure we're going to be able to stand up to what we say. So the visitor account was important.
We went through all that, went through all the numbers and the dollars spent and private investment versus Star bond investment. So yeah, we had to put our name on the line, which is. I completely get it. So yeah, you're right.
[00:16:25] Speaker B: Are there other entertainment areas around the region, around the country that this would be modeled after or close to that people might be familiar with?
[00:16:36] Speaker D: Probably the closest thing that I've come to, that I've seen is in Colony, Texas that we visited. And that's where a home run dugout is. And you have the top, the pop strokes, the home run, Doug Ousty Andretti's. And we've traveled the country making sure what we do is going to be as good or rival them.
So there are some around the country. There's nothing close by that I can put my finger on that would be to this level.
So.
[00:17:08] Speaker B: So this is a big Wichita State tennis story. It's also a big tennis story in the community of Wichita.
Describe what it means for the tennis community, community at large here in our city.
[00:17:19] Speaker E: You know, I'm really excited for the tennis community because what a lot of people don't realize is how important the tennis Community has been historically in Wichita.
You know, the first name that comes to my mind when I think of tennis is Buff Farrow. And I was really fortunate. Buff and I are lifelong friends and I had a front row seat to Buff's career, literally starting from the time he had lessons. And so I would go play with him at his house. And part of the deal was if you played at Buff Farrell's house, you had to drive with his mom, Nancy to the racquet club and you had to take out an hour or two of your time to watch Buff, his lessons with Mervyn Webster and some of the other great coaches, you know, that have been in town.
[00:18:01] Speaker D: To your point, I didn't realize how I play tennis, Paul. I'm not good at tennis. Like I told you earlier, my wife can beat me at tennis. She plays a couple ten times a week. But she claims she's not good either. But she's pretty darn good in my opinion. So I, I've learned a lot of. I've known, obviously I'm a tennis fan. I've not played well, but I've learned a lot. You know, visiting with Andy Schlapp and his mother. And of course there's a. I did not realize the history in tennis in this city. And I'll tell you what I think it's going to do for tennis in our community and the region.
It's going to make it even more popular. I think you're going to see more tennis players played in the gymnasiums or the other fitness clubs or the parks. I think it's going to bring a lot of attention to tennis that I'll be real honest, I wasn't sure where tennis was played here on the campus, and that's what I know about tennis. But I've taken a crash course and pretty darn excited about it.
[00:18:53] Speaker B: So Buff Farrow played at Southeast High School, where he was a great player. And then did he go to ucla?
[00:18:58] Speaker E: Yeah, he was the number one seed at ucla and I think at one point was probably ranked number one in the country.
And so, you know, he played with the Davis cup team. And one of the things that I remember too kind of that Wichita history is Wichita had a kind of a professional team for a while called Advantage Wichita, and Buff played on that. And I remember going to Century 2 and watching Buff beat Jimmy Connors, which Jimmy was, you know, one of the greatest players in the world. So that's what we're saying when you, when you're talking about Wichita, you know, you're talking about coaches like Mervyn Webster, Leo Estepar, you've got Rex Code. I mean, those, those are just legendary names in our community and they've taught a lot of people and a lot of people have gone on to, you know, we were at, you know, Cape in the same time and you think about like, you know, Stratton Smiths and you know, Brian Burris and all those guys that went on to play college football, tennis and the Corbins and so many different people at Southeast. I mean, there was a powerhouse of tennis back in the 80s and 70s, 80s 90s in Wichita. So I think it's going to be really cool to bring back that excitement. I think a lot of those people will be excited and it'll be cool to see what happens.
[00:20:12] Speaker B: I did not expect Brian Burris name to come up on the podcast. I saw him last week at the memorial 70. He and his brother Mike always come to that. So he's a good friend. A lot of good tennis played in those schools back in the day.
So this facility, the 18 million dollar gift that it represents, it's the largest single gift of any category in Wichita State University history.
Give us your perspective on the gift and what it means to, not only to the community and the tennis program, but the university as a whole.
[00:20:47] Speaker D: As far as what it means to the university, I think it means everything. I know I've had rave reviews from obviously our AD and president and very excited about it. So I think it's going to bring a lot of attention not only to the tennis program, but to the athletic program as a whole. I mean, they all feed off each other, as we all know.
And again, the visibility it's going to have at K96 is going to be great. So as far as the gift goes, obviously it's.
It's a star Bond project. So I cannot take credit for all that. I guess my credit to Ashley and I is just putting the work in and getting to this point.
So with that being said, it's something I'm sure going to be proud of and be able to drive by and my kids and grandkids and great grandkids can know Grandpa May had a piece of that. And Ashley, I think you think the same. We've talked about your father. We wish he could be here to see, but I think he did get to hear a little bit about it, I think, and kind of knows you were on your way, you and your family. So that's what makes it all worthwhile.
[00:21:49] Speaker B: So recently the Kansas Board of Regents approved naming the facility For Regene Fellmire.
Tell us a little bit about Regine. The Fehlmire family, I think they're well known to shocker fans, well known around the community. They have a particular interest and influence on tennis in this community.
Tell the listeners a little bit about the family and their love for tennis.
[00:22:10] Speaker D: Can't say enough about Steve and Regine and their family. They've been so, so generous in our community. And when we talked tennis and I visited with Kevin Saul a few times, Steve's name come up and he wanted to be involved in it simply because they're a big tennis group. Regine has played a lot of tennis and Steve can play some pretty good tennis too. Don't let him fool you. But I've been around Steve for quite a few years now, sat on boards with him and, and just admire what he's given back to our community. So when Kevin told me that Steve and them were going to be a part of this, it was very exciting and I want everybody to understand, you know, we're building a great tennis facility.
$18 million, but that's just the start of it. We got to keep this thing afloat. Right. So there's operating costs and you know, you have to fill the place with all the FF&E and whatnot. So there's that big chunk of change that the Fil. Myers have stepped up and.
And you're going to see their name on the building. Well deserved. And hats off to Kevin and his team for I say selling that to them. I don't think it was much of a sale, but all of that combined makes this thing happen. So again, Steve Regine, I'm so happy for them and well deserved. And it all couldn't happen without all. And I will tell you back early on when I started talking tennis, Steve actually came to me, one of the first ones, when you heard maybe a little bit about this project and thought, what about mention to me a time or two, what about maybe some Wichita State tennis? So Avi's a big advocate of the university and pulled me in pretty quick. So that's my take on Steve and his family.
[00:23:45] Speaker E: I agree.
I know them to be huge fans of tennis. They love to play tennis, they love this university.
And so I think it's almost. It's a perfect fit for them.
[00:23:55] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:23:55] Speaker D: And if Steve puts his name on anything, and I don't mean that, you know, physically it's going to be right. So I think everybody can be comfortable. It's going to be a very nice place. And with Steve being involved and having his name on the building. It'll be first class and well kept for sure.
[00:24:11] Speaker B: So Ashley, you mentioned the 7 million visitors, the license tags from all over the state and around the region in the parking lots in that area. Now how will that visibility. People will be driving by on Cape Town 96. They'll see Wichita State University.
How does that help this whole process?
[00:24:28] Speaker E: You know, I think for the university's recruiting and just visibility in the community is going to be huge. And I think, you know, to have that many people coming by and having an impression of Wichita State with a world class facility is one thing. But then I think, you know, they see it off of Kellogg with the biomedical center and you know, one of the things I think about is, you know, the Wichita State campus over the years has become incredible and they're, you know, just so many improvements. It's a beautiful campus and you know, I wonder how many people in Wichita actually see that, you know, but this will just expand that footprint I think. And you know there's going to be a lot of high school kids, college kids coming in for basketball games and they're going to see, they're going to see Wichita State and I think it's going to be impressive enough that they're going to say hey, maybe I need to look at what Wichita State is a place to go to college. So you know, however we can help the university. We're all about that, we're all about Wichita, we're all about Wichita State and that's what makes this such an exciting city.
[00:25:26] Speaker D: I've heard it before, the city is a Wichita State. And you know, there's a lot, we have a lot of different, you know, KU here and K State here and all. But if you talk to a lot of those folks, Wichita State is, means a lot to them as well. Right. So and you're seeing it more and more across the country. You see off site campus activities all over the place. So I think it's a great thing. Good advertisement I guess for sure.
[00:25:52] Speaker B: I was in a day long seminar yesterday and the admissions people, that's exactly what they told us. If they can get prospective students on campus, that is really a strong, strong selling point. So you have figured that out. Okay, let's wrap it up. You've talked a little bit about your personal history playing tennis, family members playing tennis.
Describe Marty, your history with the game and why it matters to you.
[00:26:15] Speaker D: You know, I've been, I love watching tennis. I just never have been very good at it. I guess I was concentrating my efforts elsewhere, but I do play recreationally.
My wife, like I said, plays a lot. It just means a lot to me.
Sports. I'm a sports guy. Let's put it there, Paul. Anything with sports, you walk in my house, it's going to be on. So tennis is a great sport. And Ashley, to your point, a lot of history. And I'm really excited to see this. And in fact, maybe we can talk Kevin into putting a history wall in this new facility to show some of these things and keep it fresh in our minds. And I would also bet we make a lot more history with this facility.
[00:26:56] Speaker B: It will be very nice. Definitely. Ashley.
[00:26:59] Speaker E: Yeah, no, I'm super excited. Like I mentioned, I've had a long history with tennis. I played growing up. My sister was a good tennis player. She played with coach Holly at Collegiate. He's legend here in Wichita.
So to see the university have something really special means a lot to me. My dad graduated from wichita State in 1962. It was actually the University of Wichita at the time, but, you know, he was a proud Shocker fan. I grew up season tickets to football, basketball my whole life. I used to go to Gene Smithson basketball Camp. Go mtxe.
And you know, to see this. I know dad. Dad died a year and a half ago, but I know he's smiling right now because he loves Wichita. He loves Wichita State, and this is the best of both worlds.
[00:27:49] Speaker B: By the time you listen to this podcast, ground will be broken on the Regine Felmeyer Tennis Complex that will be the home of Wichita State tennis and a lot of other tennis activities going on around the community. Marty Cornejo and Ashley Cozine, thank you very much for your time.
[00:28:04] Speaker D: Thank you, Paul.
[00:28:05] Speaker E: Thank you, Paul.
[00:28:21] Speaker A: Great insight as always. Thanks for listening to the Roundhouse podcast courtesy of Wichita State University Strategic Communications. We encourage you to rate, review and subscribe. Wherever you get your podcasts, you can always find more roundhouse
[email protected] Martin, left
[00:28:38] Speaker C: wing to Mike Jones, eight seconds left. Smithson out to Mike Jones, 25 footer. Good. He got it. With three seconds left, Mike Jones, from about 25ft out, hit another long jumper. Two seconds. Showing on the clock. That may not be official. The wichita State lead, 66, 65.
Timeout Kansas. Two seconds to go. Wichita State 66, Kansas 65.
