HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SHB 1993

                  As Amended by the Senate

Title:  An act relating to convention facilities.

Brief Description:  Concerning stadiums, and convention and performing arts centers.

Sponsor(s):  By House Committee on Revenue (originally sponsored by Representative Peery).

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Revenue, March 6, 1991, DPS;

Passed House, March 19, 1991, 98-0;

Amended by Senate.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

REVENUE

Majority Report: That Substitute House Bill No. 1993 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 15 members:  Representatives Wang, Chair; Fraser, Vice Chair; Holland, Ranking Minority Member; Wynne, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Appelwick; Belcher; Brumsickle; Day; Leonard; Morris; Morton; Phillips; Rust; Silver; and Van Luven. 

Staff:  Robin Appleford (786-7093).

Background:  The standard 2 percent local option hotel/motel tax may be used by municipalities to finance the acquisition, construction, and maintenance of public stadium, convention center, performing arts, and visual arts facilities.  A municipality is defined as any county, city, or town.  The definition of facility is not limited to the actual building, but includes such items as access to the building, land around the building, and concession stands.

Any municipality, taxing district, or municipal corporation may lease land or other properties to another municipality for the development of public stadium, convention center, performing arts, and visual arts facilities by the other municipality.

Summary of Bill:  A definition of "convention center facilities" is added to the statutes authorizing public stadium, convention, performing arts, and visual arts facilities.  "Convention center facilities" are defined to include buildings and related facilities for the purposes of conferences, meetings, trade shows, conventions, cultural, educational, recreational, athletic, and other events.  For any county with a population less than 20,000 located in a national scenic area, the facility may include a hotel, destination resort, conference center, or similar facility. 

Any public stadium, convention center, performing arts, and visual arts project undertaken by a municipality in a county with a population less than 20,000 in a national scenic area is exempt from competitive bidding requirements until July 1, 1996.

EFFECT OF SENATE AMENDMENT(S): The definition of "convention center facilities" is narrowed.  The authority for any municipality to sell public stadium, convention center, performing arts, or visual arts facilities is removed.  Only (a) municipalities in any county located in whole or in part in a national scenic area when the county population is less than 20,000, or (b) counties with population less than 20,000 containing in whole or in part a national scenic area may sell such facilities.

Any city with population greater than 1,000 located on one of the San Juan islands or the county within which such a city is located may use proceeds from the basic 2 percent hotel/motel tax for publicly owned facilities (a) used for county fairs, or (b) to mitigate the impacts of tourism.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Testimony For:  This bill addresses a unique situation in Skamania county.  The change in the definition of "convention centers" will accommodate a facility with overnight accommodations in the Columbia River Gorge national scenic area that is a public-private partnership.  This facility will draw visitors and help the county diversify its timber-dependent economy.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Bob Leick, Skamania County.

VOTE ON FINAL PASSAGE:

Yeas 98