CAPITAL AREA TOURISM ACT

Creates the Capital Area Tourism Authority Act. Establishes the Capital Area Tourism Authority as a political subdivision and unit of local government for the benefit of the general public and for the promotion of business, industry, commerce, and tourism in the City of Springfield, Sangamon County, and the State of Illinois. Provides that, if and only if the Sangamon County Board, by ordinance, imposes a tax under a specified provision of the Counties Code on all hotel operators who engage in business as a hotel operator within a STAR bond district that is established in the territory of the Authority and if the Sangamon County Board also resolves that all of the revenue generated from that tax, as well as all of the tax receipts generated from local sales tax within such a STAR bond district, shall be dedicated to the payment of the project costs for any STAR bond project in such a district and shall be considered pledged STAR revenues under the Statewide Innovation Development and Economy Act, then the Authority may exercise certain economic development powers. Contains provisions concerning the powers and duties of the Authority; the membership of the Board of the Authority; meetings and records of the Board of the Authority; the use of pledged tax revenue; ownership and control of projects financed by the Authority; the investigatory authority of the Board of the Authority; and other matters. Contains legislative findings. Defines terms. Effective immediately.