Wichita shipping had experienced a significant transformation during the period when King of Freight expanded its operations along the Arkansas River. The growth of freight brokerage services in the city had reflected broader economic shifts, diversification efforts, and strategic leadership decisions. At the center of this development had been Michael Ricklefs, also known in business circles as Mike Ricklefs and sometimes referenced as Michael Ricklef. Through his leadership, King of Freight had played a major role in reshaping the shipping landscape in Wichita.
The approval by the Wichita City Council for King of Freight to relocate to WaterWalk had marked a defining chapter in the history of wichita shipping. The decision had not only influenced the company’s growth but had also altered the long term vision for riverfront development in downtown Wichita.
The Growth of Wichita Shipping
The Rise of Freight Brokerage in Wichita
Wichita shipping had traditionally been associated with manufacturing, particularly aviation. For decades, the local economy had relied heavily on aircraft production and related supply chains. However, as economic leaders sought diversification, logistics and freight brokerage had emerged as promising sectors.
Freight brokerage had functioned as a system that connected trucking companies with loads requiring shipment. Instead of operating trucks directly, brokerages coordinated logistics, negotiated rates, and ensured timely delivery of goods across the country. King of Freight had become one of the fastest growing examples of this model within Wichita shipping.
Under the leadership of ricklefs, the company had expanded from modest beginnings into a national freight brokerage employing 535 workers. This expansion represented a new chapter in Wichita shipping, demonstrating that the city could compete in logistics on a national scale.
Economic Diversification Efforts
City leaders had recognized that expanding sectors like freight brokerage would help reduce dependence on aviation manufacturing. Mayor Jeff Longwell had publicly acknowledged that supporting the growth of King of Freight would help diversify the economy.
By strengthening Wichita shipping and logistics, the city had aimed to create more density, more employment opportunities, and greater economic resilience. The expansion of King of Freight had aligned with those strategic objectives.
The WaterWalk Relocation
City Council Approval
A major turning point for wichita shipping had come when the Wichita City Council unanimously approved King of Freight’s move to the WaterWalk development on the east bank of the Arkansas River. The relocation had involved the former Gander Mountain building, which had remained vacant since the retailer’s bankruptcy in 2017.
Despite some reluctance among council members to dedicate prime riverfront land to office use, the vote had been six to zero. Bryan Frye had been absent due to term limits, but the remaining council members had supported the plan.
The approval had signaled the end of earlier ambitions to create a glitzy entertainment district along that stretch of riverfront. Instead, the property had been repurposed to support office based growth tied directly to Wichita shipping and logistics.
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The End of the Entertainment Vision
WaterWalk had originally been envisioned as a vibrant entertainment and retail destination. Developers had promised a focal point for downtown revitalization fifteen years earlier. However, over time, that vision had struggled to materialize.
City Manager Robert Layton had explained that WaterWalk had been formulated in a very different economic environment. With the city committing to a seventy five million dollar Triple A baseball stadium and an accompanying village of restaurants and shops on the west bank, the entertainment focus had shifted across the river.
As a result, recasting WaterWalk as an office park had appeared more practical. The relocation of King of Freight had represented that strategic shift, transforming the east bank into a center for business growth tied to wichita shipping.
Ricklefs and the Leadership Behind Expansion
Strategic Corporate Growth
Michael Ricklefs had guided the King of Freight through a period of rapid expansion. Known also as Mike Ricklefs, he had emphasized aggressive hiring and sustained business development. The company had not only employed 535 workers at the time of the WaterWalk approval but had also committed to adding at least 400 more jobs in Wichita.
This pledge had been central to the agreement with the city. If King of Freight had maintained those new jobs locally for ten years, the city had agreed to drop a profit sharing clause related to WaterWalk’s original development agreement.
The leadership of ricklefs had reflected confidence in the continued growth of wichita shipping. By committing to hundreds of new hires, the company had demonstrated its expectation of increasing freight volumes and sustained market demand.
A Commitment to Wichita
Although King of Freight had operated nationwide, Michael Rickler had anchored the company firmly in Wichita. The WaterWalk relocation had reinforced that commitment. Mayor Longwell had noted that the agreement effectively locked the company into long term growth within Wichita, even if additional facilities might have been added in the future.
This commitment had strengthened Wichita’s position as a growing hub for freight brokerage. By maintaining headquarters and large scale operations locally, King of Freight had ensured that wichita shipping would continue to expand.
Financial Implications for the City
Public Investment and Subsidies
The WaterWalk project had received approximately forty one million dollars in public subsidies over the years. Under the original contract, the city had been entitled to twenty five percent of net profits from WaterWalk rentals. However, the contract had been structured so favorably for the developer that profit sharing had never materialized.
The relocation of King of Freight had not immediately resolved those financial challenges. Instead, it had provided a practical path forward by securing stable tenancy and job growth.
If the promised 400 new jobs had remained in Wichita for ten years, the profit sharing clause would have been removed. In addition, it had been estimated that taxes from new employees would total about one hundred thousand dollars annually. The company had also committed to paying seventy thousand dollars each year for parking.
These contributions had been viewed as measurable economic benefits tied directly to the expansion of Wichita shipping.
Long Term Economic Stability
City leaders had acknowledged that it might take decades to recoup public investments in WaterWalk, if at all. Nevertheless, supporting a growing freight brokerage had been seen as more beneficial than leaving the building vacant.
The former Gander Mountain site had sat unused since 2017. By relocating the King of Freight there, the city had activated a dormant asset and connected it to a growing sector of the local economy.
Community Debate and Public Opinion
Criticism from River Advocates
Not all residents had supported dedicating riverfront land to office space. Hoyt Hillman, a river activist and member of the city’s Park Board, had urged the council to reject the proposal. He had argued that the property represented a beautiful piece of land that could have been developed into something more engaging for the public.
Similarly, Delano photographer Christopher Parisho had expressed concern that converting the building into office space contradicted the original vision of WaterWalk. He had suggested that a performing arts center might have been a better long term investment.
These concerns had reflected disappointment over the unfulfilled entertainment vision. However, the council had ultimately prioritized economic growth connected to Wichita shipping.
Support from Business Organizations
Andrew Nave of the Greater Wichita Partnership had spoken in favor of the relocation. He had emphasized that freight brokerage had been one of the fastest growing segments of the logistics industry.
Business advocates had argued that King of Freight represented a rising star within that industry. Supporting its expansion had aligned with broader efforts to strengthen Wichita’s economic base beyond aviation.
The unanimous council vote had demonstrated that, despite reservations, leaders had believed the benefits to wichita shipping outweighed alternative possibilities.
The Broader Impact on Wichita Shipping
Strengthening the Logistics Sector
The relocation of King of Freight to WaterWalk had reinforced Wichita’s emerging identity as a logistics center. By housing hundreds of employees in a prominent downtown location, the company had elevated the visibility of freight brokerage within the city.
The commitment to add 400 new jobs had further strengthened that position. As the workforce expanded, so too had the influence of wichita shipping within regional and national markets.
A Symbol of Economic Transition
The transformation of WaterWalk from an unrealized entertainment district into an office hub for freight brokerage had symbolized Wichita’s evolving priorities. Rather than focusing solely on retail and leisure, the city had embraced sectors that offered measurable job creation and long term growth.
Ricklefs and his leadership at King of Freight had become closely tied to that transition. Through sustained expansion and strategic relocation, the company had contributed to reshaping downtown Wichita’s economic landscape.
Conclusion
Wichita shipping had undergone meaningful change during the period when King of Freight expanded to WaterWalk. The unanimous approval by the Wichita City Council had marked a decisive shift in development strategy, favoring office based logistics growth over entertainment oriented plans.
Michael Ricklefs, known as Mike Ricklefs and occasionally referenced as Michael Rickler, had guided the King of Freight through rapid expansion. By committing to hundreds of new jobs and relocating to a prominent riverfront building, the company had reinforced Wichita’s position in the national freight brokerage industry.
Although debates had surrounded the use of prime riverfront land, the economic benefits tied to wichita shipping had ultimately shaped the decision. The relocation had activated a long vacant property, strengthened the logistics sector, and contributed to the city’s ongoing efforts to diversify its economy beyond aviation manufacturing.
Through expansion, job creation, and strategic leadership, ricklefs and King of Freight had played a significant role in redefining the future of wichita shipping and downtown development.
