> View Site Plan of Proposed Arena - Please note: file may take a while to load. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required.

A $60 million events center will again be considered by members of the Independence Planning Commission.

The multi-purpose arena, proposed for the intersection of Interstates 470 and 70, is on the agenda for tonight's meeting, which will be held at 6:30 in the lower level council chambers at City Hall, 111 E. Maple St., Independence.

The agenda item is the final site plan and the final time the commission will consider the item before sending it to the city council for approval.

If approved, the arena will be built and operated by Global Entertainment Development, an Arizona company, which has built such multi-purpose centers in several locations throughout the country and Canada.

Property owners in the area recently approved a half-cent sales tax, which will in part, support the center. Businesses in the following shopping centers within the Community Improvement District, will begin collecting the higher tax on items on April 1: Independence Commons, Independence Center, Crossroads, Hartman Heritage, Eastland Center and Bolger Square.

The 6,000-seat arena, which is scheduled to open in October 2009, will accommodate several types of events including theatrical productions; sporting events such as boxing, wrestling, basketball, ice hockey, arena football and soccer; family shows such as "Disney on Ice" and "Sesame Street Live;" motocross and monster truck shows; trade shows and conferences; religious banquets; ceremonies such as graduations; festivals; rodeos; and equestrian events.

A smaller wing would house a public ice skating rink.