AB892: Bill Text

AB892,18,20 219.09 (1) (d) A local professional football stadium district created under subch. IV of ch. 229.

AB892, s. 34 Section 34. Subchapter IV of chapter 229 [precedes 229.820] of the statutes is created to read:

AB892,18,23 chapter 229

AB892,19,3 Subchapter IV Local Professional Football stadium districts

AB892,19,13 229.820 Legislative declaration. (1) The legislature determines that the provision of assistance by state agencies to a district under this subchapter, any appropriation of funds to a district under this subchapter and the moral obligation pledge under s. 229.830 (7) serve a statewide public purpose by assisting the development of professional football stadium facilities in the state for providing recreation, by encouraging economic development and tourism, by reducing unemployment and by bringing needed capital into the state for the benefit and welfare of people throughout the state. The legislature determines that the taxes that may be imposed by a district under subch. V of ch. 77 are special taxes that are generated apart from any direct annual tax on taxable property.

AB892,19,17 (2) The legislature determines that a district serves a public purpose in the district's jurisdiction by providing recreation, by encouraging economic development and tourism, by reducing unemployment and by bringing needed capital into the district's jurisdiction for the benefit of people in the district's jurisdiction.

AB892,19,18 229.821 Definitions. In this subchapter:

AB892,19,20 (1) "Bond" means any bond, note or other obligation issued under s. 66.066 by a district.

AB892,19,24 (2) "Bond resolution" means a resolution of the district board authorizing the issuance of, or providing terms and conditions related to, bonds and includes, where appropriate, any trust agreement, trust indenture, indenture of mortgage or deed of trust providing terms and conditions for bonds.

AB892,20,5 (3) "Chief elected official" means the mayor of a city or, if the city is organized under subch. I of ch. 64, the president of the council of that city, the village president of a village, the town board chair of a town or the county executive of a county or, if the county does not have a county executive, the chairperson of the county board of supervisors.

AB892,20,6 (4) "District" means a special purpose district created under this subchapter.

AB892,20,7 (5) "District board" means the governing board of a district.

AB892,20,12 (6) "Football stadium" means a stadium that is principally used as the home stadium of a professional football team described in s. 229.823 at the time that a district is created, or if no home stadium exists at the time that a district is created, "football stadium" means a stadium that includes the site of a proposed home stadium of such a team.

AB892,20,17 (7) "Football stadium facilities" means football stadium property, tangible or intangible, including spectator seating of all types, practice facilities, parking lots and structures, garages, restaurants, parks, concession facilities, entertainment facilities, facilities for the display or sale of memorabilia, transportation facilities, and other functionally related or auxiliary facilities or structures.

AB892,20,18 (8) "Home stadium" means a stadium approved as provided in s. 229.823.

AB892,20,22 (9) "Members-elect" means those members of the governing body of a municipality or county, at a particular time, who have been duly elected or appointed for a current regular or unexpired term and whose service has not terminated by death, resignation or removal from office.

AB892,20,23 (10) "Municipality" means a city, village or town.

AB892,20,24 (11) "Political subdivision" means a city, village, town or county.

AB892,21,2 (12) "Related party" means a corporation or business entity that is owned, controlled or operated by, or under common control with, a professional football team.

AB892,21,8 229.822 Creation and organization. (1) There is created, for each jurisdiction under s. 229.823, a special district that is a local governmental unit, that is a body corporate and politic, that is separate and distinct from, and independent of, the state and the political subdivisions within its jurisdiction, that has the powers under s. 229.824 and the name of which includes "Professional Football Stadium District".

AB892,21,10 (2) A district is governed by its district board. Subject to sub. (3), the district board shall consist of the following members:

AB892,21,15 (a) Two persons appointed by the governor. At least one of the persons appointed by the governor shall reside within the county in which the football stadium is located. A person appointed under this paragraph may take his or her seat immediately upon appointment and qualification, subject to confirmation or rejection by the senate.

AB892,21,20 (b) Two persons appointed by the chief elected official of the most populous city located wholly or partly within the jurisdiction of a district. A person appointed under this paragraph may take his or her seat immediately upon appointment and qualification, subject to confirmation or rejection by a majority of the members-elect of the common council or council.

AB892,21,24 (c) Two persons appointed by the chief elected official of the county in which the football stadium is located. A person appointed under this paragraph may take his or her seat immediately upon appointment and qualification, subject to confirmation or rejection by a majority of the members-elect of the county board.

AB892,22,8 (d) One person appointed by the chief elected official of any municipality located wholly or partly within the jurisdiction of the district, other than the most populous city located wholly or partly within the jurisdiction of the district, that has a boundary at the time of creation of the district that is contiguous to a boundary of the site of the football stadium. A person appointed under this paragraph may take his or her seat immediately upon appointment and qualification, subject to confirmation or rejection by a majority of the members-elect of the governing body of the municipality.

AB892,22,19 (3) Upon appointment under sub. (2), the appointing authorities shall certify the appointees to the secretary of administration. The terms of office of the persons appointed under sub. (2) shall be 2 years expiring on July 1, except that the initial terms shall expire on July 1 of the 4th year beginning after the year of creation of a district. Persons appointed under sub. (2) may be removed from the district board before the expiration of their terms by the appointing authority but only for cause, as defined in s. 17.16 (2). Vacancies shall be filled by the appointing authority who appointed the person whose office is vacant. A person appointed to fill a vacancy under sub. (2) shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term to which he or she is appointed. The appointing authorities shall confer with one another regarding their appointments with a view toward achieving diversity on the district board.

AB892,22,25 (4) The governor shall select the chairperson of the district board, and the district board shall elect from its membership a vice chairperson, a secretary and a treasurer. A majority of the current membership of the district board constitutes a quorum to do business. The district may take action based on the affirmative vote of a majority of those members of the district board who are present at a meeting of the district board.

AB892,23,2 (5) The members of the district board shall be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

AB892,23,5 (6) Upon the appointment and qualification of a majority of the members of a district board, the district board may exercise the powers and duties of a district board under this subchapter.

AB892,23,7 (7) The district board shall name the district, and the name shall include "Professional Football Stadium District".

AB892,23,17 229.823 Jurisdiction. A district's jurisdiction is any county with a population at the date of the district's creation of more than 150,000 that includes the principal site of a stadium that is home to a professional football team, that is a member of a league of professional football teams that have home stadiums in at least 10 states and a collective average attendance for all league members of at least 40,000 persons per game over the 5 years immediately preceding the year in which a district is created, and that is approved by that league for use as a home stadium for that professional football team. Once created, the district's jurisdiction remains fixed even if population or attendance figures subsequently decline below the minimums described in this section.

AB892,23,20 229.824 Powers of a district. A district has all of the powers necessary or convenient to carry out the purposes and provisions of this subchapter. In addition to all other powers granted by this subchapter, a district may do all of the following:

AB892,23,21 (1) Adopt bylaws to govern the district's activities, subject to this subchapter.

AB892,23,22 (2) Sue and be sued in its own name, plead and be impleaded.

AB892,23,23 (3) Maintain an office.

AB892,23,24 (4) In connection with football stadium facilities:

AB892,24,3 (a) Acquire, construct, equip, maintain, improve, operate and manage the football stadium facilities as a revenue-generating enterprise, or engage other persons to do these things.

AB892,24,5 (b) Acquire; lease, as lessor or lessee; use; transfer; or accept transfers of property.

AB892,24,7 (c) Improve, maintain and repair property, and fund reserves for maintenance, depreciation and capital improvements.

AB892,24,12 (d) Enter into contracts, subject to such standards as may be established by the district board. The district board may award any such contract for any combination or division of work it designates and may consider any factors in awarding a contract, including price, time for completion of work and qualifications and past performance of a contractor.

AB892,24,13 (e) Grant concessions.

AB892,24,14 (f) Sell or otherwise dispose of unneeded or unwanted property.

AB892,24,18 (5) Employ personnel, and fix and regulate their compensation; and provide, either directly or subject to an agreement under s. 66.30 as a participant in a benefit plan of another governmental entity, any employe benefits, including an employe pension plan.

AB892,24,21 (6) Purchase insurance, establish and administer a plan of self-insurance or, subject to an agreement with another governmental entity under s. 66.30, participate in a governmental plan of insurance or self-insurance.

AB892,24,22 (7) Mortgage, pledge or otherwise encumber the district's property or funds.

AB892,25,2 (8) Issue revenue bonds under s. 66.066, subject to ss. 229.829 to 229.834, and enter into agreements related to the issuance of bonds, including liquidity and credit facilities, remarketing agreements, insurance policies, guaranty agreements, letter of credit or reimbursement agreements, indexing agreements, interest exchange agreements and currency exchange agreements.

AB892,25,4 (9) Maintain funds and invest the funds in any investment that the district board considers appropriate.

AB892,25,6 (10) Promote, advertise and publicize its football stadium facilities and related activities.

AB892,25,9 (11) Set standards governing the use of, and the conduct within, its football stadium facilities in order to promote public safety and convenience and to maintain order.

AB892,25,11 (12) Establish and collect fees or other charges for the use of its football stadium facilities or for services rendered by the district.

AB892,25,15 (13) Establish and collect fees or other charges for the right to purchase admission to events at the football stadium if the proceeds from any amount that is collected under this subsection are used for purposes related to football stadium facilities.

AB892,25,17 (14) Enter into partnerships, joint ventures, common ownership or other arrangements with other persons to further the district's purposes.

AB892,26,3 (15) Impose, by the adoption of a resolution, the taxes under subch. V of ch. 77, except that the taxes imposed by the resolution may not take effect until the resolution is approved by a majority of the electors in the district's jurisdiction voting on the resolution at a referendum, to be held on a date specified by the county board not earlier than 45 days nor later than one year after adoption of the resolution. The referendum may be held at any spring or general election or any spring or September primary, or at a special election called by the county board for that purpose. A district may not levy any taxes that are not expressly authorized under subch. V of ch. 77. If a district board adopts a resolution that imposes taxes and the resolution is approved by the electors, the district shall deliver a certified copy of the resolution to the secretary of revenue at least 30 days before its effective date.

AB892,26,4 (16) Accept gifts, loans and other aid.

AB892,26,6 (17) Administer the receipt of revenues, and oversee the payment of bonds issued by the district.

AB892,26,7 (18) Adopt and alter an official seal.

AB892,26,11 229.825 Special fund tax revenues. (1) The district board shall maintain a special fund into which it deposits only the revenue received from the department of revenue, that is derived from the taxes imposed under subch. V of ch. 77, and may use this revenue only for purposes related to football stadium facilities.

AB892,26,25 (2) If the district board determines that the revenues in the special fund under this section exceed current debt service and operating expenses for the operation of football stadium facilities, the district board shall apply the excess first to fund a reserve or reserves for maintenance costs, depreciation and capital improvements, and 2nd, when the reserve or reserves are adequately funded to meet the obligations of the district, to retire bonds issued for purposes related to football stadium facilities, and any bonds issued to fund or refund those bonds, prior to their maturity. As soon as practicable after the retirement of all bonds issued for purposes related to football stadium facilities and all bonds issued to fund or refund those bonds and after funding a reserve or reserves for maintenance costs and capital improvements sufficiently to meet any maintenance, depreciation or capital improvement obligations between the district and any professional football team using football stadium facilities constructed under this subchapter as a home stadium, the district board shall make a certification to the department of revenue to that effect.

AB892,27,3 229.826 Powers granted to a municipality or county. In addition to any powers that it may otherwise have, a county or municipality located wholly or partly within a district's jurisdiction may do any of the following:

AB892,27,5 (1) Make grants or loans to a district upon terms that the county or municipality considers appropriate.

AB892,27,6 (2) Expend public funds to subsidize a district.

AB892,27,8 (3) Borrow money under ss. 67.04 and 67.12 (12) for football stadium facilities or to fund grants, loans or subsidies to a district.

AB892,27,10 (4) Lease or transfer property to a district upon terms that the county or municipality considers appropriate.

AB892,27,14 (5) With the consent of a district, establish and collect fees or other charges applicable only to a football stadium for the right to purchase admission to events at the stadium, if the proceeds from any amount that is collected under this subsection are used for purposes related to football stadium facilities.

AB892,27,20 229.827 Contracting. Unless a district board determines that it is not feasible to do so, the district shall enter into a contract with a professional football team, as described in s. 229.823, or a related party, that requires the team or related party to acquire and construct football stadium facilities that are part of any facilities that are leased by the district to the team or to a related party, without regard to whether the football stadium facilities are financed by the district.

AB892,28,3 229.828 Dissolution of a district. Subject to providing for the payment of its bonds, including interest on the bonds, and the performance of its other contractual obligations, a district may be dissolved by the action of the district board. If the district is dissolved, the property of the district shall be transferred to the political subdivisions that compose the district's jurisdiction in such proportions as the secretary of administration determines fairly and reasonably represent the contributions of each political subdivision to the development or improvement of the football stadium facilities.

AB892,28,6 229.829 Issuance and negotiability of bonds. (1) Negotiability. All bonds are negotiable for all purposes, notwithstanding their payment from a limited source.

AB892,28,9 (2) Employment of financial consultant. A district may retain the building commission or any other person as its financial consultant to assist with and coordinate the issuance of bonds.

AB892,28,13 (3) No personal liability. Neither the members of the district board nor any person executing the bonds is liable personally on the bonds or subject to any personal liability or accountability by reason of the issuance of the bonds, unless the personal liability or accountability is the result of wilful misconduct.

AB892,28,19 229.830 Special debt service reserve funds for moral obligation pledge. (1) Designation of special debt service reserve funds. A district may designate one or more accounts in funds created under s. 66.066 (2) (e) as special debt service reserve funds, if, prior to each issuance of bonds to be secured by each special debt service reserve fund, the secretary of administration determines that all of the following conditions are met with respect to the bonds:

AB892,28,21 (a) Purpose. The proceeds of the bonds, other than refunding bonds, will be used for purposes related to football stadium facilities.

AB892,29,2 (b) Feasibility. The proceeds of bonds, other than refunding bonds, will be used for feasible projects and there is a reasonable likelihood that the bonds will be repaid without the necessity of drawing on funds in the special debt service reserve fund that secures the bonds. The secretary of administration may make the determinations required under this paragraph only after considering all of the following:

AB892,29,4 1. Whether a pledge of the tax revenues of the district is made under the bond resolution.

AB892,29,5 2. How the tax revenues of the district are pledged to the payment of the bonds.

AB892,29,8 3. Revenue projections for the project to be financed by the bonds, including tax revenues, and the reasonableness of the assumptions on which these revenue projections are based.

AB892,29,10 4. The proposed interest rates of the bonds and the resulting cash-flow requirements.

AB892,29,12 5. The projected ratio of annual tax revenues to annual debt service of the district, taking into account capitalized interest.

AB892,29,15 6. Whether an understanding exists providing for repayment by the district to the state of all amounts appropriated to the special debt service reserve fund pursuant to sub. (7).

AB892,29,18 7. Whether the district has agreed that the department of administration will have direct and immediate access, at any time and without notice, to all records of the district.

AB892,29,22 (c) Limit on bonds issued backed by moral obligation pledge. The principal amount of all bonds, other than refunding bonds, that would be secured by all special debt service reserve funds of the district under this section will not exceed $160,000,000 at any one time outstanding.

AB892,29,24 (d) Date of issuance. The bonds, other than refunding bonds, will be issued no later than December 31, 2004.

AB892,30,2 (e) Refunding bonds. All refunding bonds to be secured by the special debt service reserve fund meet all of the following conditions:

AB892,30,4 1. The refunding bonds are to be issued to fund, refund or advance refund bonds secured by a special debt service reserve fund.

AB892,30,6 2. The refunding of bonds by the refunding bonds will not adversely affect the risk that the state will be called on to make a payment under sub. (7).

AB892,30,12 (f) Approval of outstanding debt. All outstanding debt of the district has been reviewed and approved by the secretary of administration. In determining whether to approve outstanding debt under this paragraph, the secretary may consider any factor which the secretary determines to have a bearing on whether the state moral obligation pledge under sub. (7) should be granted with respect to an issuance of bonds.

AB892,30,16 (g) Financial reports. The district has agreed to provide to the department of administration, the legislative fiscal bureau and the legislative audit bureau all financial reports of the district and all regular monthly statements of any trustee of the bonds on a direct and ongoing basis.

AB892,30,23 (2) Payment of funds into a special debt service reserve fund. A district shall pay into any special debt service reserve fund of the district any moneys appropriated and made available by the state for the purposes of the special debt service reserve fund, any proceeds of a sale of bonds to the extent provided in the bond resolution authorizing the issuance of the bonds and any other moneys that are made available to the district for the purpose of the special debt service reserve fund from any other source.

AB892,31,14 (3) Use of moneys in the special debt service reserve fund. All moneys held in any special debt service reserve fund of a district, except as otherwise specifically provided, shall be used, as required, solely for the payment of the principal of bonds secured in whole or in part by the special debt service reserve fund, the making of sinking fund payments with respect to these bonds, the purchase or redemption of these bonds, the payment of interest on these bonds or the payment of any redemption premium required to be paid when these bonds are redeemed prior to maturity. If moneys in a special debt service reserve fund at any time are less than the special debt service reserve fund requirement under sub. (5) for the special debt service reserve fund, the district may not use these moneys for any optional purchase or optional redemption of the bonds. Any income or interest earned by, or increment to, any special debt service reserve fund due to the investment of moneys in the special debt service reserve fund may be transferred by the district to other funds or accounts of the district to the extent that the transfer does not reduce the amount of the special debt service reserve fund below the special debt service reserve fund requirement under sub. (5) for the special debt service reserve fund.

AB892,31,22 (4) Limitation on bonds secured by a special debt service reserve fund. A district shall accumulate in each special debt service reserve fund an amount equal to the special debt service reserve fund requirement under sub. (5) for the special debt service reserve fund. A district may not at any time issue bonds secured in whole or in part by a special debt service reserve fund if upon the issuance of these bonds the amount in the special debt service reserve fund will be less than the special debt service reserve fund requirement under sub. (5) for the special debt service reserve fund.