Johnson County is no longer getting an Amazon Fresh. Instead, this entertainment spot
Amazon Fresh once intended to open a grocery store in Overland Park’s Prairiefire district — but not anymore.
Now, the empty building at 6001 W. 135th St. will become an indoor playground and children’s entertainment center called Lava Island.
Fred Merrill Jr., president of Prairiefire’s ownership group, Merrill Companies, said they sold the land years ago to a developer in Chicago, who intended to build an Amazon Fresh there.
“It’s not our project, but we’ve been keeping up with … what’s been going with it,” Merrill said.
Talks began in 2021, around the same time Messenger Coffee had considered opening a rooftop cafe in the area. Amazon Fresh would have been near an existing Sprouts at 6821 W. 135th St.
But both projects have fallen through. Last May, a spokeswoman with Messenger told The Star they were no longer moving forward with those plans.
Amazon announced in February 2023 that it was putting a pause on Amazon Fresh store openings and shutting down stores that weren’t living up to expectations, according to the Associated Press.
CEO Andy Jassy wrote in his annual letter to shareholders that the company was still trying to figure out how to excel in the grocery market, the AP reported.
In November, the company reopened three California stores and said it would remodel its existing stores and get rid of the Just Walk Out Technology, which allowed customers to skip lines.
Merrill said Amazon has subleased the Overland Park space to Lava Island, which has one location in the Denver suburb of Aurora.
Lava Island is anticipating opening before Christmas. The jungle-themed play center will have trampolines, foam pits, giant slides and other amenities. The company is building one other location in Billings, Montana.
“We were in Denver one time and stopped at their location,” Merrill said. “It’s an incredible, large kids entertainment center.”
Prairiefire is currently about 97% full, Merrill said, but he hinted that more tenant announcements were coming soon.
The mixed-use development, however, has continually struggled to hit its sales obligations under the Kansas STAR bond tax incentive program.
Earlier this year, the development defaulted on $15 million in STAR bond debt. The state issued bondholders $65 million in 2012.
The 60-acre development between Lamar and Nall avenues is home to the Museum at Prairiefire, Rock & Brews, Chicken & Pickle, an AMC theater and several other businesses.
Johnson County is home to several other family entertainment centers, including Leawood’s Sandbox VR at 4845 W. 117th St., Game Show Battle Rooms at 10520 Metcalf Lane in Overland Park, and Main Event at 11950 N. Kansas City Road in Olathe.
And more are on the way.
The Merriam Cinemark at 5500 Antioch Drive plans to convert the space into a combination theater and family center.
Indoor go-karting and laser tag facility Andretti Indoor Karting & Games is under construction at the old Sprint World Headquarters in Overland Park at 11610 Nall Ave. Another family fun center, The Rush Funplex, recently opened in the old Incredible Pizza at 13110 W. 62nd Terrace in Shawnee.