(a) There is established, as an independent authority of the District government, the Washington Convention and Sports Authority. The Authority shall be a corporate body, created to effectuate certain public purposes, that has a legal existence separate from the District government.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, the general purposes of the Authority are to:

(1) Acquire, construct, equip, maintain, and operate the new convention center, in whole or in part, directly or under contract;

(2) Promote, develop, and maintain the District as a location for convention, trade shows, and other meetings;

(3) Engage in activities to promote trade shows, conventions, concerts, and other events related to activities at a facility of the Authority;

(4) Consolidate the District’s efforts in promoting and managing sporting and entertainment events;

(5) Promote, develop, and maintain the District as a location for sporting events, sports teams, recreational events, film, television, and other motion picture productions, and entertainment events, directly or under contract;

(6) Develop, construct, and lease the ballpark in accordance with § 10-1601.05;

(7) Encourage and support youth activities in the District, including by sponsoring sporting events for young athletes, attracting national collegiate championships to the District, and providing disadvantaged youths with opportunities to attend sporting events;

(8) Exercise the non-military functions of the Armory Board and the Armory, including controlling the scheduling, rental, and promotion of the Armory and its adjacent facilities and leasing unused or vacant space in the Armory;

(9) Exercise the non-regulatory functions of the Boxing and Wrestling Commission, including all advertising, promotion, and attraction of boxing, wrestling, and mixed martial arts events;

(10) Maintain and operate the old convention center site until such time as is considered appropriate by the Mayor; and

(11) Promote and support cultural institutions operating in the District of Columbia.

(c) The Authority shall create an energy-efficient new convention center suitable for multipurpose use for housing trade shows, conventions, cultural, political, musical, educational, entertainment, athletic, or other events, displaying exhibits and attractions, and promoting the historical, natural and recreational resources of the District, including all facilities necessary or convenient to that purpose, regardless of whether the facilities are contiguous, including the following: exhibit halls; auditoriums; theaters; restaurants and other facilities for the purveying of food, beverages, publications, souvenirs, novelties and goods and services of all kinds, whether operated or purveyed directly or indirectly through concessioners, licensees or lessees or otherwise; meeting room facilities and parking areas in connection therewith, including meeting rooms that provide for simultaneous translation capabilities for several languages; related lands, buildings, structures, fixtures, equipment, and personalty appurtenant or convenient to the foregoing; and extension, addition, and improvement of such facilities.

(d) The Authority shall designate the Program Manager or Program Management Consultant, required by § 10-1202.04(g)(1), to serve as the community liaison to act as a single point of contact to disseminate information to, and to receive comments from, the community related to the new convention center.

(Sept. 28, 1994, D.C. Law 10-188, § 202, 41 DCR 5333; Mar. 3, 2010, D.C. Law 18-111, § 2081(c), 57 DCR 181; Sept. 11, 2019, D.C. Law 23-16, § 7192(b), 66 DCR 8621.)

1981 Ed., § 9-803.

This section is referenced in § 10-1202.01 and § 10-1202.02c.

D.C. Law 18-111, in subsec. (a), substituted “Washington Convention and Sports Authority” for “Washington Convention Center Authority (’Authority’)”; rewrote subsec. (b); and, in subsec. (d), substituted “community related to the new convention center” for “community”. Prior to amendment, subsec. (b) read was follows: “(b) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, the general purpose of the Authority is to acquire, construct, equip, maintain, and operate the new convention center, in whole or in part, directly or under contract, and engage in other activities as it deems appropriate to promote trade shows and conventions, or other events, closely related to activities of the new convention center, and to maintain and operate the existing convention center until such time as the new convention center is completed and opened for operation.”

Mayoral nomination of agency heads, Washington Convention Center Authority Board of Directors, see § 1-523.01.

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 2081(c) of Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Support Second Emergency Act of 2009 (D.C. Act 18-207, October 15, 2009, 56 DCR 8234).

For temporary (90 day) addition, see § 2083 of Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Support Second Emergency Act of 2009 (D.C. Act 18-207, October 15, 2009, 56 DCR 8234).

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 2081(c) of Fiscal Year Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2009 (D.C. Act 18-260, January 4, 2010, 57 DCR 345).

For temporary (90 day) addition, see § 2083 of Fiscal Year Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2009 (D.C. Act 18-260, January 4, 2010, 57 DCR 345).

Section 2083 of D.C. Law 18-111 provided: “The Washington Convention Center Authority shall conduct an operating and financial analysis related to the merger with the District of Columbia Sports and Entertainment Commission (‘DCSEC’), and deliver to the Council by not later than September 30, 2009, a report and plan that includes the following:

“(1) The costs associated with the merger;

“(2) Any liabilities and obligations of DCSEC assumed by the new Authority; and

“(3) A plan to reduce expenses and increase revenues associated with DCSEC programs.”