The funding represents eight percent of the total River District project cost, which includes such notable features as the Keeper of the Plains, Gander Mountain and WaterWalk Place.

The STAR bond funds are generated from sales tax revenue collected within the River District and will allow the City to complete its plan for a major tourism destination in south-central Kansas.

At a press conference Wednesday afternoon at the Keeper of the Plains Plaza, Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer thanked state legislators, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and other partners who helped achieve this significant accomplishment.

“This project represents a significant partnership between the City of Wichita and the State of Kansas, “ Mayor Brewer said. “We are deeply indebted to the Kansas Legislature, Governor Kathleen Sebelius and the Kansas Department of Commerce for their support of our project.  We owe a special thanks to the efforts of our south-central Kansas legislators for their hard work in support of the legislation that created this opportunity.”

The City of Wichita’s STAR bond application was approved by Kansas Secretary of Commerce Dave Kerr after several weeks of review. 

“We are very excited to work with Wichita on this project,” Secretary Kerr said in a written message delivered at the Wednesday news conference. “The proposed Wichita River District has the potential to become a major commercial entertainment and tourist area and the catalyst for future economic development in the region. City officials, developers and area legislators have put together a thorough proposal that represents a true public/private partnership.”

The River District project is the culmination of nearly 20 years of farsighted planning and effort to make the Arkansas River the focal point of downtown revitalization.

For more information, contact:

City of Wichita
Allen Bell
Economic Development Administrator
268-4502
abell@wichita.gov

Kansas Department of Commerce
Joe Monaco
Public Information Officer
Kansas Department of Commerce
1000 S.W. Jackson St., Suite 100
Topeka, KS 66612-1354
Phone: (785) 296-3760
Fax: (785) 296-3665
Cell: (785) 231-7763
www.kansascommerce.com

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