(1) To have perpetual succession as a body politic and corporate and to adopt bylaws for the regulation of its affairs and the conduct of its business.

(2) To adopt an official seal and alter the same at pleasure.

(3) To maintain an office at such place or places in the county as it may designate.

(4) To sue and be sued in its own name, and plead and be impleaded.

(5) To determine the location and character of any project to be financed under the provisions of this part; and

(a) To construct, reconstruct, maintain, repair, operate, lease as lessee or lessor and regulate the same;

(b) To enter into contracts for any or all of such purposes;

(c) To enter into contracts for the management and operation of a project; and

(d) To designate a participating institution for higher education as its agent to determine the location and character of a project undertaken by such participating institution for higher education under the provisions of this part and as the agent of the authority, to construct, reconstruct, maintain, repair, operate, lease as lessee or lessor, and regulate the same, and, as the agent of the authority, to enter into contracts for any or all of such purposes, including contracts for the management and operation of such project.

(6) To issue bonds, bond anticipation notes and other obligations of the authority for any of its corporate purposes, and to fund or refund the same, all as provided in this part.

(7) Generally, to fix and revise from time to time and charge and collect rates, rents, fees and charges for the use of and for the services furnished or to be furnished by a project or any portion thereof and to contract with any person, partnership, association, or corporation or other body public or private in respect thereof.

(8) To establish rules and regulations for the use of a project or any portion thereof and to designate a participating institution for higher education as its agent to establish rules and regulations for the use of a project undertaken by such participating institution for higher education.

(9) To employ consulting engineers, architects, attorneys, accountants, construction and financial experts, superintendents, managers, and such other employees and agents as may be necessary in its judgment, and to fix their compensation.

(10) To receive and accept from any public agency loans or grants for or in aid of the construction of a project or any portion thereof, and to receive and accept loans, grants, aid, or contributions from any source of either money, property, labor, or other things of value, to be held, used, and applied only for the purposes for which such loans, grants, aid, and contributions are made.

(11) To mortgage any project and the site thereof for the benefit of the holders of revenue bonds issued to finance such projects.

(12) To make loans to any participating institution for higher education for the cost of a project, including a loan in anticipation of tuition revenues, in accordance with an agreement between the authority and the participating institution for higher education; provided no such loan shall exceed the total cost of the project as determined by the participating institution for higher education and approved by the authority.

(13) To make loans to a participating institution for higher education to refund outstanding obligations, mortgages or advances issued, made or given by such participating institution for higher education for the cost of a project.

(14) To charge to and equitably apportion among participating institutions for higher education its administrative costs and expenses incurred in the exercise of the powers and duties conferred by this part.

(15) To do all things necessary or convenient to carry out the purposes of this part.

History.—s. 5, ch. 69-345; s. 18, ch. 99-252.