Sec. 5.

As used in this act:

(a) "Authority" means a regional convention facility authority created under section 7.

(b) "Board" means the board of directors of an authority.

(c) "Convention facility" means all or any part of, or any combination of, a convention hall, auditorium, arena, meeting rooms, exhibition area, and related adjacent public areas that are generally available to the public for lease on a short-term basis for holding conventions, meetings, exhibits, and similar events, together with real or personal property, and easements above, on, or under the surface of real or personal property, used or intended to be used for holding conventions, meetings, exhibits, and similar events, together with appurtenant property, including covered walkways, parking lots, or structures, necessary and convenient for use in connection with the convention facility. Convention facility includes an attached arena with a seating capacity not exceeding 13,000. Convention facility does not include any arena with a seating capacity exceeding 13,000.

(d) "Develop" means to plan, acquire, construct, improve, enlarge, maintain, renew, renovate, repair, replace, lease, equip, furnish, market, promote, manage, or operate.

(e) "Fiscal year" means an annual period that begins on October 1 and ends on September 30 or the fiscal year for an authority established by the board of the authority.

(f) "Legislative body" means the elected body of a local government possessing the legislative power of the local government.

(g) "Local chief executive officer" means the mayor or city manager of a city or the county executive of a county or, if a county does not have a county executive, the chairperson of the county board of commissioners.

(h) "Local government" means a county or city. For purposes of sections 17(1)(t) and 19 other than section 19(1)(f), local government includes a building authority or downtown development authority created by a county or city under 1975 PA 197, MCL 125.1651 to 125.1681.

(i) "Qualified city" means a city with a population of more than 700,000 according to the most recent decennial census that contains a qualified convention facility.

(j) "Qualified county" means a county that contains a qualified city.

(k) "Qualified convention facility" means a publicly owned convention facility with not less than 600,000 square feet of usable exhibition area and that is located in a qualified city.

(l) "Qualified metropolitan area" means a geographic area of this state that includes a qualified city, a qualified county, and the 2 counties bordering the qualified county with the largest populations according to the most recent decennial census.

(m) "Transfer date" means the earlier of the following:

(i) The date 90 days after the creation of an authority under section 7 on which the right, title, interest, ownership, and control of a qualified convention facility are conveyed and transferred from a qualified city to an authority, only if the transfer is not disapproved as provided under section 19(1).

(ii) The effective date of a lease agreement providing for the lease of a qualified convention facility to an authority created under section 7 as provided under section 19(1). In the event that the qualified convention facility is transferred to the authority by way of a lease, references in this act to transfer of title or conveyance of title shall be interpreted to mean the effectuation of the transfer or conveyance by way of a lease and not in fee.

History: 2008, Act 554, Eff. Jan. 20, 2009 ;-- Am. 2009, Act 63, Imd. Eff. July 2, 2009