2023 Revised Code of Washington › Title 36 - Counties › Chapter 36.102 - Stadium and Exhibition Centers. › 36.102.060 - Public stadium authority—Powers and duties—Site—Project scope—Design and specification—Use of professional services—Budget—Financing structure—Development agreement—Lease agreement—Profit-sharing discussion—Master tenant funds for Olympics and world cup—Stadium scheduling—Super Bowl acquisition—Mitigation—Demolition filming—Permanent seat licenses.

RCW 36.102.060
Public stadium authority—Powers and duties—Site—Project scope—Design and specification—Use of professional services—Budget—Financing structure—Development agreement—Lease agreement—Profit-sharing discussion—Master tenant funds for Olympics and world cup—Stadium scheduling—Super Bowl acquisition—Mitigation—Demolition filming—Permanent seat licenses.
In addition to other powers and restrictions on a public stadium authority, the following apply to a public stadium authority created to develop a stadium and exhibition center under RCW 36.102.050:
(1) The public stadium authority, in consultation with the team affiliate, shall have the authority to determine the stadium and exhibition center site;
(2) The public stadium authority, in consultation with the team affiliate, shall have the authority to establish the overall scope of the stadium and exhibition center project, including, but not limited to, stadium and exhibition center itself, associated exhibition facilities, associated parking facilities, associated retail and office development that are part of the stadium and exhibition center, and ancillary services and facilities;
(3) The public stadium authority, in consultation with the team affiliate, shall have the authority to make the final determination of the stadium and exhibition center overall design and specification;
(4) The public stadium authority shall have the authority to contract with a team affiliate for the provision of architectural, engineering, environmental, and other professional services related to the stadium and exhibition center site, design options, required environmental studies, and necessary permits for the stadium and exhibition center;
(5) The public stadium authority, in consultation with the team affiliate, shall have the authority to establish the project budget on the stadium and exhibition center project;
(6) The public stadium authority, in consultation with the team affiliate, shall have the authority to make recommendations to the state finance committee regarding the structure of the financing of the stadium and exhibition center project;
(7) The public stadium authority shall have the authority to enter into a development agreement with a team affiliate whereby the team affiliate may control the development of the stadium and exhibition center project, consistent with subsections (1) through (6) of this section, in consideration of which the team affiliate assumes the risk of costs of development that are in excess of the project budget established under subsection (5) of this section. Under the development agreement, the team affiliate shall determine bidding specifications and requirements, and other aspects of development. Under the development agreement, the team affiliate shall determine procurement procedures and other aspects of development, and shall select and engage an architect or architects and a contractor or contractors for the stadium and exhibition center project, provided that the construction, alterations, repairs, or improvements of the stadium and exhibition center shall be subject to the prevailing wage requirements of chapter 39.12 RCW and all phases of the development shall be subject to the goals established for women and minority-business participation for the county where the stadium and exhibition center is located. The team affiliate shall, to the extent feasible, hire local residents and in particular residents from the areas immediately surrounding the stadium and exhibition center during the construction and ongoing operation of the stadium and exhibition center;
(8) The public stadium authority shall have the authority to enter into a long-term lease agreement with a team affiliate whereby, in consideration of the payment of fair rent and assumption of operating and maintenance responsibilities, risk, legal liability, and costs associated with the stadium and exhibition center, the team affiliate becomes the sole master tenant of the stadium and exhibition center. The master tenant lease agreement must require the team affiliate to publicly disclose, on an annual basis, an audited profit and loss financial statement. The team affiliate shall provide a guarantee, security, or a letter of credit from a person or entity with a net worth in excess of one hundred million dollars that guarantees a maximum of ten years' payments of fair rent under the lease in the event of the bankruptcy or insolvency of the team affiliate. The master tenant shall have the power to sublease and enter into use, license, and concession agreements with various users of the stadium and exhibition center including the professional football team, and the master tenant has the right to name the stadium and exhibition center, subject to RCW 36.102.080. The master tenant shall meet goals, established by the county where the stadium and exhibition center is located, for women and minority employment for the operation of the stadium and exhibition center. Except as provided in subsection (10) of this section, the master tenant shall have the right to retain revenues derived from the operation of the stadium and exhibition center, including revenues from the sublease and uses, license and concession agreements, revenues from suite licenses, concessions, advertising, long-term naming rights subject to RCW 36.102.080, and parking revenue. If federal law permits interest on bonds issued to finance the stadium and exhibition center to be treated as tax exempt for federal income tax purposes, the public stadium authority and the team affiliate shall endeavor to structure and limit the amounts, sources, and uses of any payments received by the state, the county, the public stadium authority, or any related governmental entity for the use or in respect to the stadium and exhibition center in such a manner as to permit the interest on those bonds to be tax exempt. As used in this subsection, "fair rent" is solely intended to cover the reasonable operating expenses of the public stadium authority and shall be not less than eight hundred fifty thousand dollars per year with annual increases based on the consumer price index;
(9) Subject to RCW 43.99N.020(2)(b)(ix), the public stadium authority may reserve the right to discuss profit sharing from the stadium and exhibition center from sources that have not been identified at the time the long-term lease agreement is executed;
(10) The master tenant may retain an amount to cover the actual cost of preparing the stadium and exhibition center for activities involving the Olympic Games and world cup soccer. Revenues derived from the operation of the stadium and exhibition center for activities identified in this subsection that exceed the master tenant's actual costs of preparing, operating, and restoring the stadium and exhibition center must be deposited into the tourism development and promotion account created in RCW 43.330.094;
(11) The public stadium authority, in consultation with a public facilities district that is located within the county, shall work to eliminate the use of the stadium and exhibition center for events during the same time as events are held in the baseball stadium as defined in RCW 82.14.0485;
(12) The public stadium authority, in consultation with the team affiliate, must work to secure the hosting of a Super Bowl, if the hosting requirements are changed by the national football league or similar professional football association;
(13) The public stadium authority shall work with surrounding areas to mitigate the impact of the construction and operation of the stadium and exhibition center;
(14) The public stadium authority, in consultation with the office of financial management, shall negotiate filming rights of the demolition of the existing domed stadium on the stadium and exhibition center site. All revenues derived from the filming of the demolition of the existing domed stadium shall be deposited into the film and video promotion account created in *RCW 43.330.092; and
(15) The public stadium authority shall have the authority, upon the agreement of the team affiliate, to sell permanent seat licenses, and the team affiliate may act as the sales agent for this purpose.
[ 1997 c 220 § 106 (Referendum Bill No. 48, approved June 17, 1997).]
NOTES:
*Reviser's note: RCW 43.330.092 was repealed by 2012 c 198 § 26.