Salina STAR Bond Project District •
•
C11Y MAMA®ER S OFFICE
PER Asp
MAY 21 2015
Phone:(785)296-1913
Legal Section Fax:(785)296-6809 TTY:711
1000 S.W.Jackson St.,Suite 100 ` i - le al kansascommerce.com
Topeka,KS 66612-1354 P € /t g KansasCommerce.com
Department of Commerce
Pat George,Secretary - / - Sam Brownback,Governor
May 8, 2015
Jason Gage
City Manager
300 West Ash
P.O. Box 736
Salina, KS 67402-0736
RE: Salina STAR Bond Project District
Dear Mr:.Gage:
Thank you for your letter dated May 13, 2015, in which Salina requests the Secretary of
Commerce, pursuant to K.S.A. 12-17,160 et seq. as amended (the "Act"), take action to find and
determine that the Salina STAR Bond Project District is "a major commercial entertainment and
tourism area" and thus an "eligible area" within the meaning of K.S.A. 12-17,165. In your •
request, the Project District is a single project area in the downtown area of Salina as more fully
described in Exhibit B to Resolution No. 15-7193 included with your correspondence. The
development currently being contemplated in the Project District consists of a mixed-use
'development consisting of: major multi-sport athletic complex, museum facilities; retail uses;
restaurant uses; other general commercial development; hotel uses; residential uses; office uses;
associated public and private infrastructure; and other items allowable under K.S.A. 12-17,160 et
seq. The STAR bond Project District may ultimately consist of multiple STAR bond project
areas as delineated in one or more STAR bond project plans to be approved for property within
the STAR bond project district. These components will complement other recent development in
• the area.
Your request indicates the total;cost of the Project will be approximately $122 million and the
primary attractions will be the Fieldhouse, designed for indoor basketball, volleyball, wrestling,
gymnastics and cheerleading, the Stiefel Theater and a vintage car museum. The Project also •
includes up to several hundred thousand square feet of retail and entertainment venues. The
Developer has estimated the construction phase of the District will result in 839 direct and
indirect jobs with payroll of$40 million and economic impact of$134 million. The Fieldhouse
is estimated to draw over 90,000 visitors on an annual basis, many of whom will come from
outside the State of Kansas.
•
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Jason Gage
May 8, 2015
Page 2
Based on all the above, it is my determination that the proposed Salina STAR Bond Project
District is a major commercial entertainment and tourism area and an "eligible area," for the
purpose of establishing a STAR Bond Project District as contemplated by K.S.A. 12-17,165.
This approval and designation of the proposed Project District as an "eligible area" should not be
construed as approval of any particular STAR Bond Project or Project Plan and is limited to a
finding that the proposed Project District constitutes an "eligible area" under the Act as a
condition precedent to the city passing an ordinance creating a STAR Bond Project District.
Commerce will require additional information prior to being in a position to evaluate the Project
for STAR bond financing and determining the appropriate level of STAR bond funding. It is my
expectation the City will submit a proposed STAR Bond Project Plan within 90 days from the
date of this approval.
The Department of Commerce and I look forward to working with Salina as this project
continues through the STAR bond process.
Sincerely,
Pat eorge
Secretary of Co ' erce