Derby City Council expands STAR bond district for ‘Crystal Lagoons’

DERBY, Kan. (KWCH) - City leaders in Derby Tuesday night took another step in considering a new tourist attraction in town. The city council voted to expand a special tax district that would fund “Crystal Lagoons,” a proposed water attraction by the group that is behind Kansas City’s “Great Wolf Lodge.”

Developers asked the Derby City Council to expand its STAR bond district to allow for the development of a $130 million project called Crystal Lagoons.

The public access “beach” would be located off Rock Road near Patriot Avenue in Derby. It would include a large water lagoon for swimming and water sports, like paddle boarding, scuba diving and snorkeling. There would also be a hotel, apartments, restaurants and six acres of land for “glamping, or glamour camping.

Tuesday night’s vote added 44 acres to the potential STAR bond project in Derby. Advocates say the district would attract about 250,000 visitors each year to the city. The City of Derby will hold a public hearing on the matter in December.