WaterWalk enlists help of Beale Street developer to secure tenants in Wichita - Wichita Business Journal:

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in their efforts to secure tenantx forthe public-private development in downtown Wichita. But those at WaterWallk still don't know whether the work of John Elkingtonm will dial up the success levep ofthe project, which hasn't announcec a major retail tenant in more than a "These are really hard projectx to do because they are so sensitive to a lot of says Elkington, president of Elkington is best knownj for his work redeveloping the Beale Street area in which has become a major tourist attraction for the city of 1.1 Elkington also is working on major entertainment developments in New Mississippi, Alabama and Virginia.
He long has been friendd with WaterWalk presidentTom Johnson, whom he says askeed for help in securing a tenanty that Elkington had formed a relationshio with in other developments. Elkington wouldn'r identify the client and says thedeal hasn'g closed. But documents have been exchanged, he says. "It would be a majotr deal for Wichita. It would be a big thing for any actually," Elkington says. Johnson says any announcements won'tt be made until earlyu next year. He backed off a pronouncement he made last monthu that new signings would be release by the endof 2007. Things have moved slowed than anticipated, he says.
His target now is "I think 2008 is going to be a great Johnson says. Elkington's company specializes in creating entertainment district s inurban areas. Beale Street tops that list. But his projectsa also include a redevelopment projecin Trenton, N.J., that woulrd create 100,000 square feet of retailo and entertainment space near Sovereign Bank Arena. Elkington's firm is workinb on a similar projecrt near the state capitolin Jackson, And in Birmingham, Ala., Elkington is developingy an $80 million mixed-use project that includes 160,00p0 square feet of retail.
In doin those projects and others, Elkington has developed relationshipwswith entertainment-related companies acrosa the country. They include , , and . Elkingtonb says he met Johnson at a CCIM meetinb years ago and maintained contactwith him. The two began working together this year after Johnson asked for help in securing a particular tenant at Johnson says Elkington is one of severakl developers and leasing agents across the country who are helpinf with the project on a fee But Elkington's help is important because of his resume -- particularly his work on Bealde Street. "It's one of the most successful urban developmentxs inthe country," Johnson says.
The extenf of Elkington's work so far is limiteed to just a coupleof clients, Johnsonh says. But they are major ones. "There'ds no doubt about that. We've got a couple that are high Johnson says. "They would give the project an Elkington says it is commo for urban redevelopment projects to be slow as WaterWalkhas been. He says it's also common for peopl to want to put a rush on Elkington notes he has already been criticized for the pace of hisBirminghanm project, which is just six monthzs old.