District of Columbia Convention Center and Sports Arena Authorization Act of 1995
PL 104-28 (H.R.2108), enacted 09/06/1995

PUBLIC LAW 104-28—SEPT. 6, 1995 
109 STAT. 267 
Public Law 104-28 
104th Congress 
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 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. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 
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 revenues 
for convention center activities. 
TITLE II—SPORTS ARENA 
Sec. 201. Permitting designated authority to borrow funds for preconstruction ac-
tivities relating to Gallery Place sports arena. 
Sec. 202. Permitting certain District revenues to be pledged as security for borrow-
ing. 
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 Amend-
ment Act of 1995. 
TITLE I—CONVENTION CENTER 
Sept. 6, 1995 
[H.R. 2108] 
District of 
Columbia 
Convention 
Center and 
Sports Arena 
Authorization 
Act of 1995. 
SEC. 101. PERMITTING WASHINGTON CONVENTION CENTER AUTHOR-
ITY TO EXPEND REVENUES FOR CONVENTION CENTER 
ACTIVITIES. 
(a) PERMITTING EXPENDITURE WITHOUT APPROPRIATION.—^The 
fourth sentence of section 446 of the District of Columbia Self-
Government and CJovernmental Reorganization 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 
109 STAT. 268 
PUBLIC LAW 104-28—SEPT. 6, 1995 
1994 (D.C. Law 10-188) and which are obligated or expended for 
the activities described in subsection (b). 
(b) ACTIVITIES DESCRIBED.—^The activities described in this 
paragraph are— 
(1) the operation and maintenance of the existing Washing-
ton Convention Center; and 
(2) preconstruction activities with respect to a new conven-
tion center in the District of Columbia, including land acquisi-
tion and the conducting of environmental impact studies, 
architecture and design studies, surveys, and site acquisition. 
TITLE II—SPORTS ARENA 
SEC. 201. PERMITTING DESIGNATED AUTHORITY TO BORROW FUNDS 
FOR PRECONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES RELATING TO GAL-
LERY 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 accord-
ance 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 authority to 
borrow funds for such purposes by the District of Columbia 
government. 
(2) REVENUE REQUIRED TO SECURE BORROWING.—The des-
ignated authority may borrow funds under paragraph (1) to 
finance, 
refinance, 
or 
reimburse 
the 
costs 
of 
arena 
preconstruction activities described in section 204 only if such 
borrowing is secured (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 enactment 
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 author-
ity pursuant to section 302(a-l)(3) of the Omnibus Budget 
Support Act of 1994 (sec. 47-2752(a-l)(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 created 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-Govem-
ment and Governmental 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. 
l-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 des-
PUBLIC LAW 104-28—SEPT. 6, 1995 
109 STAT. 269 
ignated 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 (including the des-
ignated authority described in section 201(c)) may pledge as security 
for any borrowing undertaken pursuant to section 201(a) any reve-
nues 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 (D.C. Law 10-315)), upon the transfer of such revenues by 
the Mayor of the District of Columbia to the designated authority 
pursuant to section 302(a-l)(3) of the Omnibus Budget Support 
Act of 1994 (sec. 47-2752(a-l)(3), D.C. Code) (as amended by section 
2(b) of the Arena Tax Payment and Use Amendment Act of 1995). 
(b) EXCLUSION OF PLEDGED REVENUES FROM CALCULATION OF 
ANNUAL AGGREGATE LIMIT ON DEBT.—^Any revenues pledged as 
security by the District of Columbia pursuant to subsection (a) 
shall be excluded from the determination of the dollar amount 
equivalent to 14 percent of District revenues under section 
603(b)(3)(A) of the District of Columbia Self-Government and 
Governmental Reorganization Act (sec. 47-313(b)(3)(A), D.C. Code). 
SEC. 
203. 
NO 
APPROPRIATION 
NECESSARY 
FOR 
ARENA 
PRECONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES. 
The fourth sentence of section 446 of the District of Columbia 
Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act (sec. 47-
304, D.C. Code) shall not apply with respect to any of the following 
obligations or expenditures: 
(1) Borrowing conducted pursuant to section 201(a). 
(2) The pledging of revenues as security for such borrowing 
pursuant to section 202(a). 
(3) The payment of principal, interest, premium, debt serv-
icing, contributions to reserves, or other costs associated with 
such borrowing. 
(4) Other obligations or expenditures made to carry out 
any arena preconstruction activity described in section 204. 
SEC. 204. ARENA PRECONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES DESCRIBED. 
The arena preconstruction activities described in this section 
are as follows: 
(1) The acquisition of real property (or rights in real prop-
erty) 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 related 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 facilities. 
(6) The use of environmental, legal, and consulting services 
(including services to obtain regulatory approvals) for the 
construction of the sports arena. 
109 STAT. 270 
PUBLIC LAW 104-28—SEPT. 6, 1995 
(7) The financing of administrative and transaction costs 
incurred in borrowing funds pursuant to section 201(a), includ-
ing costs incurred in connection with the issuance, sale, and 
delivery of bonds, notes, or other obligations. 
(8) The financing of other activities of the District of Colum-
bia government associated with the development and construc-
tion of the sports arena, including the reimbursement of the 
District of Columbia government or others for costs incurred 
prior to the date of the enactment of this Act which were 
related 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 PAY-
MENT AND USE AMENDMENT ACT OF 1995. 
Notwithstanding section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia 
Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization 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. 
Approved September 6, 1995. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 2108: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 104-227 (Comm. on Government Reform and Oversight). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 141 (1995): 
Aug. 4, considered and passed House. 
Aug. 11, considered and passed Senate.