Great Plains Media – owner of KLWN, KLZR and KMXN radio stations serving Lawrence – is searching the market for space in Lawrence that could accommodate a combined center for the three stations’ studios and offices.

Ron Covert, the company’s general manager, confirmed Thursday that Great Plains was shopping around for a new location, should it decide to leave its longtime home at 3125 W. Sixth St.

Great Plains’ 10-year lease on the 8,000-square-foot building ends Aug. 31, and sites in western and southwestern Lawrence are getting plenty of attention, he said. That’s because FCC rules mandate that KMXN – that’s X 92.9 FM – have operations within a defined range of Osage City, the station’s city of license.

In Lawrence, that means finding a location generally along or west of Wakarusa Drive, and certainly no farther east than Kasold Drive and Clinton Parkway, Covert said.

Great Plains, which already leases a small office along Wakarusa for KMXN, would consider buying land and building space for combined offices and studios, Covert said, but leasing appears most likely.

“We’re trying to look for what’s the best way to house all our radio stations all in one spot,” Covert said.

Great Plains also has an option to buy the current building that houses KLWN and KLZR, an option that remains under consideration, Covert said. The building is owned by Lawrence Broadcasters Inc., which is owned by Hank Booth and his family, who sold KLWN and KLZR to Zimmer Radio Group in 1998.

Booth continues to work for KLWN and recently accepted a job with the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce.