Collaborative Success | De Soto's Blueprint for Economic Expansion
What happens when a city of 6,000 people lands the largest economic development project in the history of its state? That's exactly what De Soto, Kansas is navigating right now — and the story behind how they got there is one worth telling. I sat down in De Soto with City Administrator Mike Brungardt and Public Works Director and City Engineer Joe Johnson to unpack the infrastructure, relationships, communications, and plain hard work that turned a former World War II ammunition plant into one of the most buzzed-about economic development sites in the country.HighlightsDe Soto's transformation from a bedroom community of ~5,500 to the home of Panasonic's $4 billion lithium-ion battery facility — the largest economic development project in Kansas historyHow a 9,000-acre former Army ammunition plant (once employing 10,000 workers) became the foundation for modern advanced manufacturingThe city annexed the entire 9,000-acre site, formed a TIF district, and began seriously pursuing economic development in the early 2020s — and Panasonic was the grand slam on the first pitch$245 million in public infrastructure improvements delivered between 2022 and end of 2024, including a new 8-million gallon water plant, expanded wastewater plant, $40 million in sewer lines, a new water tower, roadway, and a dedicated fire stationAll major city projects used accelerated delivery methods — progressive design-build and CM at-risk — because traditional delivery would never have met Panasonic's timelineKDOT designed and built four lanes of divided roadway in two years — their first-ever progressive design-build project — while Panasonic was simultaneously building a $4 billion facilityKDHE became an unofficial partner, assigning a dedicated staff person to the project and engaging in early design discussions rather than just reviewing final plansThe power of early, proactive community communications — and the lesson both guests said they'd do differently with hindsightWhy "shovel-ready" is more than a buzzword: each completed infrastructure project creates excess capacity that makes the next deal easier to closeA candid discussion on data centers, the next frontier for De Soto, and the need for clear-eyed, community-centered engagement on that opportunityChapters0:00 – Welcome to QBS Express1:20 – Meet Joe Johnson2:30 – Meet Mike Brungardt5:56 – De Soto Growth Metrics9:13 – Ammunition Plant Origins12:50 – Remediation to Redevelopment16:51 – Stakeholders and Oversight22:51 – Community Concerns22:51 – Building a Comms Team26:12 – How Deals Take Shape28:11 – Competing for Projects28:45 – Momentum and Capacity30:33 – Shovel-Ready Sites31:20 – Infrastructure Overview31:50 – Panasonic Funding Catalyst34:34 – Scope and Fire Station36:28 – 245 Million Buildout37:41 – Fast Track Delivery39:53 – Regulatory Partnerships41:42 – KDOT Success Story43:10 – Why Relationships Matter46:24 – Surprises and Lessons51:29 – What Comes Next54:47 – Personal Rapid Fire57:25 – Closing ThanksResources MentionedKCADC – Kansas City Area Development Council – Regional economic development organization referenced as a top-tier partner in attracting large-scale investment; Tim Cowden, KCADC president, was a previous guest on QBS ExpressKansas Department of Commerce – State agency involved in economic development recruitment and site selectionKDHE – Kansas Department of Health and Environment – Oversaw environmental remediation of the former ammunition plant and served as a key regulatory partner during infrastructure design and permittingKDOT – Kansas Department of Transportation – Designed and built four lanes of divided roadway to serve the Panasonic site; their first progressive design-build projectOther Resources:Learn more about ACEC Kansas
