CONVENTION FACILITY AUTHORITY                                                          S.B. 123 (S-1):

                                                                                                      FLOOR SUMMARY

Senate Bill 123 (Substitute S-1 as reported by the Committee of the Whole)

Sponsor:  Senator Dave Hildenbrand

Committee:  Economic Development

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Convention Facility Authority Act to do the following:

-- Allow an authority to develop, acquire, or own one or more convention facilities, rather than just to develop a convention facility.

-- Include a sports facility, market, or other facility in the definition of "convention facility".

-- Delete a requirement that a convention facility be available to the public for lease on a short-term basis for holding conventions, meetings, exhibits, and similar events, and require instead that the facility be made available to the public for lease or use.

-- Allow an authority to enter into management contracts and to hire service providers and consultants.

-- Revise conditions for the qualification and appointment of an authority's board of directors, and delete a 12-year term limit that applies to board members.

The Act allows a qualified city and a qualified county jointly to establish a convention facility authority to develop a convention facility and issue negotiable revenue bonds.  "Convention facility" means all or any part of, or any combination of, a convention hall, auditorium, arena, meeting rooms, exhibition area, and related adjacent public areas that are generally available to the public for lease on a short-term basis for holding conventions, meetings, exhibits, and similar events.  Under the bill, the term would include a sports facility, market, or other facility. 

("Qualified city" means a city with a population of more than 170,000 that is the most populous city in a qualified county. "Qualified county" means a county with a population of more than 500,000 that contains a qualified city, and that is not a charter county or a county with an optional unified form of government. Grand Rapids and Kent County are the only Michigan municipalities meeting these criteria.)

MCL 141.1403 et al.                                                 Legislative Analyst:  Patrick Affholter

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.

Date Completed:  3-4-13                                                          Fiscal Analyst:  David Zin

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This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.