SENATE BILL REPORT

                                   SHB 1993

             AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS,

                                 APRIL 3, 1991

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

SPONSORS:House Committee on Revenue (originally sponsored by Representative Peery).

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON REVENUE

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.

      Signed by Senators McCaslin, Chairman; Roach, Vice Chairman; Madsen, and Sutherland. 

Staff:  Barbara Howard (786‑7410)

Hearing Dates:April 3, 1991

BACKGROUND:

Counties, cities and towns are authorized to finance the acquisition, construction, and maintenance of public stadium, convention center, performing arts, and visual arts facilities.  The definition of "facility" includes such items as access to the building, land around the building, and concession stands, but does not include overnight accommodations such as resorts or hotels.

Any municipality, taxing district, or municipal corporation may lease properties to another municipality for the development of convention or conference center facilities by the other municipality.  There is no authority for the local government to sell a facility.  Such capital projects are subject to competitive bidding requirements.

SUMMARY:

"Convention center facilities" is added to the definition provisions.  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.

Local governments are authorized to sell convention centers for a reasonable price.

Any such 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.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  available

Effective Date:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.  It applies retroactively to pertinent actions taken on or after January 1, 1990.

TESTIMONY FOR:

Skamania County has a unique opportunity to put together a high quality conference center project with county, federal and private funds under the recent federal legislation governing the Columbia Gorge.  Under federal guidelines, the center must include overnight accommodations, and none are readily available in the county.  We therefore need authorization to include a resort or hotel in the project, we need to be able to sell it for a fair return to the developer, and perhaps leverage similar quality efforts to turn the local economy around.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  PRO:  Robert Leick, Skamania County Prosecuting Attorney; Anthony Feldhausen, Superintendent, Stevenson/Carson School District, Skamania County Chamber of Commerce; Nick Alia, Grayco