2023 Tennessee Code › Title 7 - CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENTS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL FUNCTIONS AND ENTITIES (§§ 7-1-101 — 7-91-104) › LOCAL GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS (§§ 7-51-201 — 7-69-116) › Chapter 69 - TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ACT (§§ 7-69-101 — 7-69-116) › Section 7-69-103 - Powers of authority

(a)
The authority shall have the following powers, together with all powers incidental to the following powers or necessary for the performance of those powers, to:
(1)
Sue and be sued and to prosecute and defend, at law or in equity, in any court having jurisdiction of the subject matter and of the parties;
(2)
Acquire, whether by purchase, construction, exchange, gift, lease, or otherwise, and design, plan, site, improve, repair, extend, equip, furnish, operate and maintain one (1) or more projects, which projects shall be within the jurisdictional boundaries of the governmental entities establishing the authority, including all real and personal properties that the board of directors of the authority may deem necessary in connection with the projects and regardless of whether or not any such projects shall then be in existence, and including the power to demolish any existing structures as may be on sites acquired when such structures are not needed for the project;
(3)
To appoint agents and employees, describe their qualifications and fix their compensation;
(4)
Operate, maintain, manage, and enter into contracts for the operation, maintenance and management of any project undertaken, and to make rules and regulations with regard to such operation, maintenance and management;
(5)
Employ, contract with, fix the compensation of, and discharge engineering, architectural, legal, financial and other professional experts, consultants, agents and employees as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter and to provide for the proper construction, operation and maintenance of any project;
(6)
Lease, rent and contract for the operation of all or any part of any project, and charge and collect rent for the project and terminate any such lease upon the failure of the lessee to comply with any of the obligations of the lease and include in or exclude from any such lease provisions that the lessee shall have the option to renew the term of the lease for such period or periods and at such rent as shall be determined by the board of directors;
(7)
Lease such space in a project as from time to time may not be needed for related purposes to any other person, corporation, partnership or association for such purposes as the board of directors may determine are in the best interest of the authority or will help facilitate the purposes for which the authority was created, and upon such terms and in such manner as the board may determine;
(8)
Fix and collect fees and charges for the use of any and all of the projects of the authority;
(9)
Make contracts, including, without limitation, contracts with service providers;
(10)
Sell, exchange, donate, and convey any or all of its properties, whenever the board of directors shall find any such action to be in furtherance of the purposes for which the authority was organized;
(11)
Procure and enter into contracts for any type of insurance or indemnity against loss or damage to property from any cause, including loss of use and occupancy, against death or injury of any person, against employer's liability, against any act of any member, officer or employee of the authority in the performance of the duties of such person's office or employment or any other insurable risk, as the board of directors, in its discretion, may deem necessary;
(12)
Accept donations, contributions, revenues, capital grants or gifts from any individuals, associations, public or private corporations, and municipalities, the state or the United States, or any agency or instrumentality of the state or the United States, for or in aid of any of the purposes of this chapter and enter into agreements in connection with the donations, contributions, revenues, capital grants or gifts;
(13)
Obtain such licenses, permits, approvals and accreditations as the authority deems necessary in connection with any project;
(14)
Borrow money from time to time and, in evidence of any obligation incurred, issue and, pursuant to §
7-69-111
, sell its revenue bonds in accordance with this chapter and the applicable provisions of title 9, chapter 21, in such form and upon such terms as its board of directors may determine and as approved by each governing body of a creating municipality, payable out of any revenues of the authority, including grants or contributions or other revenues specifically provided to the authority, for the purpose of financing the cost of any project and refund and refinance, from time to time, bonds so issued and sold, as often as may be deemed to be advantageous by the board of directors; and, pending the issuance of its revenue bonds for the purposes authorized in this chapter, issue its interim certificates or notes or other temporary obligations;
(15)
Mortgage and pledge as security for the payment of the principal of and interest on any bonds so issued and any agreements made in connection with the bonds, any or all of the projects or any part or parts of the projects, whether then owned or thereafter acquired;
(16)
Exercise all powers expressly given herein and establish bylaws and make all rules and regulations not inconsistent with this chapter, deemed expedient for the management of the affairs of the authority; and
(17)
(A)
Participate as a joint venturer in a joint venture or as a member in a nonprofit corporation that attracts and promotes tourism or performs activities related to the exercise of any power granted to a tourism development authority;
(B)
Elect all or any of the members of the board of directors of any nonprofit corporation of which the tourism development authority is a member and has the power to so elect under the nonprofit corporation charter and bylaws; and
(C)
Accomplish and facilitate the creation, establishment, acquisition, operation or support of any such joint venture or nonprofit corporation, by means of loans of funds, acquisition or transfer of assets, leases of real or personal property, gifts and grants of funds or guarantees of indebtedness of such joint venture or nonprofit corporation.
(b)
The authority shall not be required to have a seal.
Amended by 2023 Tenn. Acts, ch. 121, s 2, eff. 4/4/2023.
Amended by 2014 Tenn. Acts, ch. 932,s 2, eff. 5/16/2014.
Acts 2012 , ch. 846, § 4.