A facility to be constructed pursuant to this chapter is a public improvement and a convention facilities authority is a public authority for purposes of section 4115.03 of the Revised Code. All contractors and subcontractors working on such facilities are subject to and shall comply with sections 4115.03 to 4115.16 of the Revised Code. A convention facilities authority is a contracting authority for purposes of sections 307.86 to 307.91 of the Revised Code.

No convention facilities authority shall construct a facility under this chapter unless the plans for the facility provide for parking and transportation determined by the board of county commissioners as adequate to serve that facility.

A convention facilities authority may do all of the following:

(A) Adopt bylaws for the regulation of its affairs and the conduct of its business;

(B) Adopt an official seal;

(C) Maintain a principal office within its territory;

(D) Acquire, purchase, construct, reconstruct, enlarge, furnish, equip, maintain, repair, sell, exchange, lease or rent to, lease or rent from, operate, or contract for the operation by others of, facilities within its territory, and make charges for the use of the facilities;

(E) Make available the use or services of any facility to persons or governmental agencies on such terms and conditions as the authority shall determine;

(F) By resolution of its board of directors, issue convention facilities authority revenue bonds beyond the limit of bonded indebtedness provided by law, payable solely from revenues as provided in section 351.14 of the Revised Code, unless the bonds are refunded by refunding bonds, for the purpose of providing funds to pay the costs of any facility or facilities or parts of any facility or facilities, and, if moneys raised by taxation are not obligated or pledged for the payment of those revenue bonds, to pay the costs of any facility or facilities or parts of any facility or facilities pursuant to Section 13 of Article VIII, Ohio Constitution, and in order to create or preserve jobs and employment opportunities and improve the economic welfare of the people of the state;

(G) Maintain such funds as it determines necessary;

(H) Direct its agents or employees, when properly identified in writing and after at least five days' written notice, to enter upon lands within its territory in order to make surveys and examinations preliminary to location and construction of facilities, or other work for the purposes of the convention facilities authority, without liability of the authority or its agents or employees except for actual damage done;

(I) Promote, advertise, and publicize the authority and its facilities;

(J)

(1) Adopt rules, not in conflict with general law, governing the use of its property, grounds, buildings, equipment, and facilities, and the conduct of its employees and the public, in order to promote the public safety and convenience in and about its facilities and grounds, and to maintain order. Any such rule shall be posted at a prominent place in each of the buildings or facilities to which it applies.

(2) No person shall violate any lawful rule adopted and posted as provided in this division.

(K) Acquire by gift or purchase, hold, lease, and dispose of real and personal property and interests in the property in the exercise of its powers and the performance of its duties under this chapter;

(L) Acquire, in the name of the authority, by purchase or otherwise, on such terms and in such manner as the authority finds proper, or by the exercise of the right of appropriation in the manner provided by section 351.22 of the Revised Code, such public or private lands, including public parks, playgrounds, or reservations, or parts thereof or rights therein, rights-of-way, rights, franchises, easements, and interests as it finds necessary or proper for carrying out this chapter, and compensation shall be paid for public or private lands so taken;

(M) Make and enter into all contracts and agreements and execute all instruments necessary or incidental to the performance of its duties and the execution of its powers under this chapter provided that no construction contract or contract for the purchase of goods or services shall be approved or entered into by the authority prior to the adoption and implementation of a policy on the set aside of contracts for bidding by or award to minority business enterprises, as defined in division (E)(1) of section 122.71 of the Revised Code;

(N) Employ managers, superintendents, and other employees and retain or contract with consulting engineers, financial consultants, accounting experts, architects, attorneys, and such other consultants and independent contractors as are necessary in its judgment to carry out this chapter, and fix their compensation. All expenses of doing so shall be payable solely from the proceeds of convention facilities authority bonds and notes issued under this chapter, or from excise taxes and revenues.

(O) Receive and accept from any governmental agency grants for or in aid of the purposes of the authority, and receive and accept aid or contributions from any source of money, property, labor, or other things of value, to be held, used, and applied only for the purposes for which such grants and contributions are made;

(P) Engage in research and development with respect to facilities;

(Q) Purchase fire and extended coverage and liability insurance for any facility and for the offices of the authority, insurance protecting the authority and its officers and employees against liability for damage to property or injury to or death of persons arising from its operations, and any other insurance the authority may agree to provide under any resolution authorizing its convention facilities authority revenue bonds or in any trust agreement securing the same;

(R) Charge, alter, and collect rentals and other charges for the use or services of any facility as provided in section 351.09 of the Revised Code;

(S) If a tax proposed under section 5739.026 of the Revised Code is disapproved by the electors, request the board of county commissioners to dissolve the authority pursuant to section 351.03 of the Revised Code;

(T) By resolution of its board of directors, levy any of the excise taxes authorized by division (B) or (C) of section 351.021 of the Revised Code if authorized by the county commissioners, and issue convention facilities authority tax anticipation bonds beyond any limit of bonded indebtedness provided by law, payable solely from excise taxes levied pursuant to division (B) or (C) of section 351.021 of the Revised Code and revenues as provided in section 351.141 of the Revised Code.

(U) Do all acts necessary or proper to carry out the powers expressly granted in this chapter.

Effective Date: 06-29-1988; 06-30-2005.