Projects financed with STAR bonds not meeting tourism goals

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A new state audit found that few projects financed with STAR bonds are meeting requirements for bringing visitors and money into Kansas. The report from the Legislature’s auditing arm was released Monday. Auditors found that only three of the 16 attractions they reviewed met tourism goals by bringing in a significant percentage of visitors from other states. STAR bonds allow municipalities to issue bonds to finance major developments, which are paid through sales tax revenue generated by the project. The three businesses that met the goals are the Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka, Kansas Speedway in Kansas City and the Hutchinson Underground Salt Museum.