104TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2108
AN ACT
To permit the Washington Convention Center Authority to
expend revenues for the operation and maintenance of
the existing Washington Convention Center and for
preconstruction activities relating to a new convention
center in the District of Columbia, to permit a des-
ignated authority of the District of Columbia to borrow
funds for the preconstruction activities relating to a
sports arena in the District of Columbia and to permit
certain revenues to be pledged as security for the borrow-
ing of such funds, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the
‘‘District of Columbia Convention Center and Sports
Arena Authorization Act of 1995’’.
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of
this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
TITLE I—CONVENTION CENTER
Sec. 101. Permitting Washington Convention Center Authority to expend reve-
nues for convention center activities.
TITLE II—SPORTS ARENA
Sec. 201. Permitting designated authority to borrow funds for preconstruction
activities relating to Gallery Place sports arena.
Sec. 202. Permitting certain District revenues to be pledged as security for bor-
rowing.
Sec. 203. No appropriation necessary for arena preconstruction activities.
Sec. 204. Arena preconstruction activities described.
TITLE III—WAIVER OF CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW
Sec. 301. Waiver of Congressional review of Arena Tax Payment and Use
Amendment Act of 1995.
TITLE I—CONVENTION CENTER
SEC. 101. PERMITTING WASHINGTON CONVENTION CENTER
AUTHORITY TO EXPEND REVENUES FOR CON-
VENTION CENTER ACTIVITIES.
(a) PERMITTING EXPENDITURE WITHOUT APPRO-
PRIATION.—The fourth sentence of section 446 of the Dis-
trict of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Re-
organization Act (sec. 47–304, D.C. Code) shall not apply
with respect to any revenues of the District of Columbia
which are attributable to the enactment of title III of the
Washington Convention Center Authority Act of 1994
(D.C. Law 10–188) and which are obligated or expended
for the activities described in subsection (b).
(b) ACTIVITIES
DESCRIBED.—The activities de-
scribed in this paragraph are—
(1) the operation and maintenance of the exist-
ing Washington Convention Center; and
(2) preconstruction activities with respect to a
new convention center in the District of Columbia,
including land acquisition and the conducting of en-
vironmental impact studies, architecture and design
studies, surveys, and site acquisition.
TITLE II—SPORTS ARENA
SEC. 201. PERMITTING DESIGNATED AUTHORITY TO BOR-
ROW FUNDS FOR PRECONSTRUCTION ACTIVI-
TIES RELATING TO GALLERY PLACE SPORTS
ARENA.
(a) PERMITTING BORROWING.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The designated authority
may borrow funds through the issuance of revenue
bonds, notes, or other obligations which are secured
by revenues pledged in accordance with paragraph
(2) to finance, refinance, or reimburse the costs of
arena preconstruction activities described in section
204 if the designated authority is granted the au-
thority to borrow funds for such purposes by the
District of Columbia government.
(2) REVENUE REQUIRED TO SECURE BORROW-
ING.—The designated authority may borrow funds
under paragraph (1) to finance, refinance, or reim-
burse the costs of arena preconstruction activities
described in section 204 only if such borrowing is se-
cured (in whole or in part) by the pledge of revenues
of the District of Columbia which are attributable to
the sports arena tax imposed as a result of the en-
actment of D.C. Law 10–128 (as amended by the
Arena Tax Amendment Act of 1994 (D.C. Act 10–
315)) and which are transferred by the Mayor of the
District of Columbia to the designated authority
pursuant to section 302(a–1)(3) of the Omnibus
Budget Support Act of 1994 (sec. 47–2752(a–1)(3),
D.C. Code) (as amended by section 2(b) of the
Arena Tax Payment and Use Amendment Act of
1995).
(b) TREATMENT OF DEBT CREATED.—Any debt cre-
ated pursuant to subsection (a) shall not—
(1) be considered general obligation debt of the
District of Columbia for any purpose, including the
limitation on the annual aggregate limit on debt of
the District of Columbia under section 603(b) of the
District of Columbia Self-Government and Govern-
mental Reorganization Act (sec. 47–313(b), D.C.
Code);
(2) constitute the lending of the public credit
for private undertakings for purposes of section
602(a)(2) of such Act (sec. 1–233(a)(2), D.C. Code);
or
(3) be a pledge of or involve the full faith and
credit of the District of Columbia.
(c) DESIGNATED AUTHORITY DEFINED.—The term
‘‘designated authority’’ means the Redevelopment Land
Agency or such other District of Columbia government
agency or instrumentality designated by the Mayor of the
District of Columbia for purposes of carrying out any
arena preconstruction activities.
SEC. 202. PERMITTING CERTAIN DISTRICT REVENUES TO
BE PLEDGED AS SECURITY FOR BORROWING.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The District of Columbia (includ-
ing the designated authority described in section 201(c))
may pledge as security for any borrowing undertaken pur-
suant to section 201(a) any revenues of the District of
Columbia which are attributable to the sports arena tax
imposed as a result of the enactment of D.C. Act 10–128
(as amended by the Arena Tax Amendment Act of 1994
(3) The payment of principal, interest, pre-
mium, debt servicing, contributions to reserves, or
other costs associated with such borrowing.
(4) Other obligations or expenditures made to
carry out any arena preconstruction activity de-
scribed in section 204.
SEC. 204. ARENA PRECONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES DE-
SCRIBED.
The arena preconstruction activities described in this
section are as follows:
(1) The acquisition of real property (or rights
in real property) to serve as the site of the sports
arena and related facilities.
(2) The clearance, preparation, grading, and
development of the site of the sports arena and re-
lated facilities, including the demolition of existing
buildings.
(3) The provision of sewer, water, and other
utility facilities and infrastructure related to the
sports arena.
(4) The financing of a Metrorail connection to
the site and other Metrorail modifications related to
the sports arena.
(5) The relocation of employees and facilities of
the District of Columbia government displaced by
the construction of the sports arena and related fa-
cilities.
(6) The use of environmental, legal, and con-
sulting services (including services to obtain regu-
latory approvals) for the construction of the sports
arena.
(7) The financing of administrative and trans-
action costs incurred in borrowing funds pursuant to
section 201(a), including costs incurred in connec-
tion with the issuance, sale, and delivery of bonds,
notes, or other obligations.
(8) The financing of other activities of the Dis-
trict of Columbia government associated with the de-
velopment and construction of the sports arena, in-
cluding the reimbursement of the District of Colum-
bia government or others for costs incurred prior to
the date of the enactment of this Act which were re-
lated to the sports arena, so long as the designated
authority determines that such costs are adequately
documented and that the incurring of such costs was
reasonable.
TITLE III—WAIVER OF
CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW
SEC. 301. WAIVER OF CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW OF ARENA
TAX PAYMENT AND USE AMENDMENT ACT OF
1995.
Notwithstanding section 602(c)(1) of the District of
Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganiza-
tion Act, the Arena Tax Payment and Use Amendment
Act of 1995 (D.C. Act 11–115) shall take effect on the
date of the enactment of this Act.
Passed the House of Representatives August 4,
1995.
Attest:
Clerk.
104TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2108
AN ACT
To permit the Washington Convention Center Au-
thority to expend revenues for the operation and
maintenance of the existing Washington Conven-
tion Center and for preconstruction activities re-
lating to a new convention center in the District
of Columbia, to permit a designated authority of
the District of Columbia to borrow funds for the
preconstruction activities relating to a sports
arena in the District of Columbia and to permit
certain revenues to be pledged as security for the
borrowing of such funds, and for other purposes.