Sec. 17.

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this act, an authority may do all things necessary or convenient to implement the purposes, objectives, and provisions of this act and the purposes, objectives, and jurisdictions vested in the authority or the board by this act or other law, including, but not limited to, all of the following:

(a) Adopt and use a corporate seal.

(b) Adopt, amend, and repeal bylaws for the regulation of its affairs and the conduct of its business.

(c) Sue and be sued in its own name and plead and be impleaded.

(d) Borrow money and issue bonds and notes according to the provisions of this act.

(e) Make and enter into contracts, agreements, or instruments necessary, incidental, or convenient to the performance of its duties and execution of its powers, duties, and jurisdictions under this act with any federal, state, local, or intergovernmental governmental agency or with any other person or entity, public or private, upon terms and conditions acceptable to the authority.

(f) Engage in collective negotiation or collective bargaining and enter into agreements with a bargaining representative as provided by 1947 PA 336, MCL 423.201 to 423.217.

(g) Solicit, receive, and accept gifts, grants, labor, loans, contributions of money, property, or other things of value, and other aid or payment from any federal, state, local, or intergovernmental government agency or from any other person or entity, public or private, upon terms and conditions acceptable to the authority, or participate in any other way in a federal, state, local, or intergovernmental government program.

(h) Make application for and receive loans, grants, guarantees, or other financial assistance in aid of a convention facility from any state, federal, local, or intergovernmental government or agency or from any other source, public or private, including, but not limited to, financial assistance for purposes of developing, planning, constructing, improving, and operating a convention facility.

(i) Procure insurance or become a self-funded insurer against loss in connection with the property, assets, or activities of the authority.

(j) Indemnify and procure insurance indemnifying board members from personal loss or accountability for liability asserted by a person with regard to bonds or other obligations of the authority, or from any personal liability or accountability by reason of the issuance of the bonds or other obligations or by reason of any other action taken or the failure to act by the authority.

(k) Invest money of the authority, at the discretion of the board, in instruments, obligations, securities, or property determined proper by the board and name and use depositories for authority money. Investments shall be made consistent with an investment policy adopted by the board that complies with this act and 1943 PA 20, MCL 129.91 to 129.96.

(l) Contract for goods and services as necessary and as provided under this act. An authority may contract with a management firm, either corporate or otherwise, to operate a qualified convention facility, under the supervision of the authority.

(m) Employ legal and technical experts, other officers, agents, employees, or other personnel, permanent or temporary, as considered necessary by the board as provided under this act.

(n) Contract for the services of persons or entities for rendering professional or technical assistance, including, but not limited to, consultants, managers, legal counsel, engineers, accountants, and auditors, as provided under this act.

(o) Establish and maintain an office.

(p) Acquire by gift, devise, transfer, exchange, purchase, lease, or otherwise on terms and conditions and in a manner the authority considers proper property or rights or interests in property. Property or rights or interests in property acquired by an authority may be by purchase contract, lease purchase, agreement, installment sales contract, land contract, or otherwise. The acquisition of any property by an authority for a convention facility in furtherance of the purposes of the authority is for a public use, and the exercise of any other powers granted to the authority is declared to be public, governmental, and municipal functions, purposes, and uses exercised for a public purpose and matters of public necessity.

(q) Hold, clear, remediate, improve, maintain, manage, protect, control, sell, exchange, lease, or grant easements and licenses on property or rights or interests in property that the authority acquires, holds, or controls.

(r) Except as provided in section 19(13), convey, sell, transfer, exchange, lease, or otherwise dispose of property or rights or interest in property, excluding the sale or transfer of a qualified convention facility, to any person or entity on terms and conditions, and in a manner and for consideration the authority considers proper, fair, and valuable.

(s) Develop a convention facility.

(t) Assume and perform the obligations and covenants of a local government related to a qualified convention facility.

(u) Enter into contracts or other arrangements with persons or entities, for granting the privilege of naming or placing advertising on or in all or any portion of a convention facility.

(v) Receive financial or other assistance from a person licensed under section 6 of the Michigan gaming control and revenue act, 1996 IL 1, MCL 432.206.

(w) Establish and fix a schedule of rents, admission fees, or other charges for occupancy, use of, or admission to any convention facility operated by the authority and provide for the collection and enforcement of those rents, admission fees, or other charges.

(x) Adopt reasonable rules and regulations for the orderly, safe, efficient, and sanitary operation and use of a convention facility owned by the authority or under its operational jurisdiction.

(y) Do all other acts and things necessary or convenient to exercise the powers, duties, and jurisdictions of the authority under this act or other laws that related to the purposes, powers, duties, and jurisdictions of the authority.

(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, an authority shall not have the power to impose or levy a tax.

History: 2008, Act 554, Eff. Jan. 20, 2009