Wis. Stat. § 229.68 — WI Code / Chapter 229 / Section 229.68
Powers of a district.
Status: in_force

A district has all of the powers necessary or convenient to carry out the purposes and provisions of this subchapter. The district may not incur costs or any obligations for signage related to a change in naming rights for the baseball park facilities. In addition to all other powers granted by this subchapter, a district may do all of the following:

(1) Adopt and alter an official seal.

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

(3) Maintain an office.

(4) In connection with baseball park facilities:

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

(b) Acquire; lease, as lessor or lessee; authorize the sublease of; use; or transfer property; except that the district may not enter into any lease or sublease that does not receive the affirmative vote of a majority of all current members appointed to the district board and eligible to vote on the matter.

(c) Improve real property.

(d) Enter into contracts, subject to this paragraph and such standards as may be established by the district board, which standards may include approval by a professional baseball team pursuant to the terms of a lease with the district. For a contract, the estimated cost of which exceeds $200,000, the district shall issue a request for proposals or other procurement document to solicit proposals. The district board may award any such contract for any combination or division of work it designates. In awarding a contract, the district board shall consider price; time for completion of work; qualifications and past performance of a contractor; contractor responsiveness; contractor eligibility in accordance with any request for proposals or other procurement document; the results of applicable inspections and tests; and performance standards established by the board, including with respect to quality and workmanship. The district shall determine the most advantageous proposal from a responsible and responsive offeror taking into consideration only the factors under this paragraph and the evaluation criteria set forth in any request for proposals or other procurement document. The district shall award the contract by written notice to the selected offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the request for proposals or other procurement document.

(e) Grant concessions.

(f) Make a grant of land or other property to the state, especially dedicated by the grant to use for a professional baseball park.

(5) Employ personnel, and fix and regulate their compensation; and provide, either directly or subject to an agreement under s. 66.0301 as a participant in a benefit plan of another governmental entity, any employee benefits, including an employee pension plan.

(6) Purchase insurance, establish and administer a plan of self-insurance or, subject to an agreement with another governmental entity under s. 66.0301 , participate in a governmental plan of insurance or self-insurance.

(7) Subject to s. 229.682 (10) , mortgage, pledge, or otherwise encumber the district’s property or funds.

(8) Issue revenue bonds under s. 66.0621 , subject to ss. 229.72 to 229.79 , 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, except that the district may issue bonds under this subsection only if all of the following conditions are met:

(a) A supermajority of the district board vote in favor of issuing bonds.

(b) A majority of the members of the district board determines, based on the best available information, that the total cost of the initial construction of baseball park facilities does not exceed $250,000,000.

(c) A majority of the members of the district board determines that the district’s lease arrangement with the professional baseball team franchise that uses baseball park facilities constructed under this subchapter as its home facilities incorporates a term of at least 30 years.

(d) The bonds are issued before December 7, 2023.

(8m) Obtain loans under s. 16.09 (5) for purposes described under s. 229.687 (2) . Any moneys borrowed or accepted under this subsection shall be deposited into the baseball park facilities improvement segregated fund under s. 229.687 .

(9) Maintain funds and invest the funds in any investment that the district board considers appropriate. After December 7, 2023, to the extent feasible, a district shall contract with the investment board to invest funds held in trust under this subchapter.

(12) Set standards governing the use of, and the conduct within, the baseball park facilities in order to promote public safety and convenience and to maintain order.

(13) Establish and collect fees, and establish shared revenue arrangements or other charges for the use of the baseball park facilities or for services rendered by the district.

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

(16) Subject to s. 229.682 (10) accept gifts, loans, grants, and other aid, which may be used only for the following purposes:

(a) Retiring bonds or other debt used to develop, construct, improve, repair, or maintain baseball park facilities.

(b) Maintaining the baseball park facilities.

(c) Operating the baseball park facilities.

(d) Making capital improvements to the baseball park facilities.

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

History: 1995 a. 56 ; 1999 a. 150 s. 672 ; 2009 a. 2 ; 2019 a. 28 ; 2023 a. 40 .