In addition to the general delegation of powers contained in § 10-1202.09 and subject to the limitations contained in § 10-1202.04, the Authority shall possess the following powers:

1. (1) To sue and be sued, including the power to bring actions, complaints, and implead in any judicial, administrative, arbitrational, or other action or proceeding and, to the extent permitted by law, to have actions brought against it, and to be impleaded and to defend in these proceedings;
2. (2) To have a seal and alter the seal at its pleasure;
3. (3) To make and alter by-laws, rules and regulations, not inconsistent with law, for the administration and regulation of its business and affairs;
4. (4) To elect, appoint, or hire officers, employees, advisors, consultants, or other agents of the Authority, including experts and fiscal agents, define their duties, and fix their compensation;
5. (5) To acquire, by purchase, gift, lease, or otherwise and to own, hold, improve, and use and to sell, convey, exchange, transfer, lease, sublease, and dispose of real and personal property of every kind and character, or any interest therein, for its corporate purposes;

6. (6) To issue regulations and establish policies for contracting and procurement, provided that these regulations and policies shall provide for the following:

   1. (A) Submission of quarterly reports to the Council regarding the Authority’s progress on issues related to local and minority contracting and the hiring of District residents; and
   2. (B) Remedies (including but not limited to cease and desist orders) for noncompliance with any law or regulation contained herein including subchapters VIII and X of Chapter 2 of Title 2, and all successor acts thereto;
7. (7) To accept loans or grants of money, materials, or property of any kind from the United States, or any agency or instrumentality thereof, or the District, upon terms and conditions as may be imposed upon the Authority to the extent that the terms and conditions are not inconsistent with the limitations and laws of the District and are otherwise within the powers of the Authority;
8. (8) To borrow money for any of its corporate purposes and to provide for the payment of the same, as may be permitted under Chapter 2 of Title 1, and the laws of the District;
9. (9) To issue revenue bonds pursuant to § 10-1202.10;
10. (10) To enter into contracts, joint ventures, or other agreements with the District, the United States, other public entities, and private entities to achieve its purposes;
11. (10A) To maintain an office or offices at any location in the District;
12. (10B) To establish standards for the use of and attendance at its facilities;
13. (10C) To fix, revise, charge, and collect fees, rents, or other charges for the use of, or attendance at, its facilities and for services rendered in connection with the use of, or attendance at, its facilities;
14. (10D) To manage parking lots, concessions, and other ancillary properties and services at facilities under its jurisdiction;
15. (10E) To furnish such services to renters, lessees, and other occupants and users of its facilities as in its judgment is necessary or suitable for carrying out its purposes;
16. (10F) To provide through its employees, or by the grant of one or more concessions, or both, for the furnishing of services and things for the accommodation of persons admitted to or using any of its facilities or portions of its facilities;
17. (10G) To provide for the insurance of any property, operations, members of the Board of Directors, officers, agents, or employees of the Authority against any risk or hazard;
18. (10H) To develop, construct, maintain, operate, acquire, own, equip, improve, rehabilitate, expand, and maintain convention, sports, entertainment, and recreation facilities in the District;
19. (10I) To establish one or more nonprofit or for-profit subsidiaries to perform any of its functions under this chapter;
20. (10J) To hold an ownership interest in, and operate, a professional sports team or team franchise on a temporary or permanent basis;
21. (10K) To issue large capital grants pursuant to § 10-1202.08(g) to support cultural institutions operating in the District of Columbia;
22. (10L) To issue grants pursuant to § 10-1202.08(h) to support go-go music in the District of Columbia;
23. (10M) To issue grants that total no less than $1 million annually to support youth extracurricular activities, including sports, arts and humanities, technology, events, and special interest clubs;
24. (10N) To direct no less than $500,000 per fiscal year to support the solicitation and selection of a qualified organization to host marquee sports related events designed to attract sports business professionals, including sports media executives, league commissioners, and sports agency professionals;
25. (11) To exercise any power usually possessed by public enterprises or private corporations performing similar functions which is not in conflict with Chapter 2 of Title 1, or the laws of the District;
26. (12) To sell or dispense, or to permit others to sell or dispense, alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises, but only upon and within the territorial limits of the property of or under the management and control of the Authority. The Authority shall not have the power to sell or dispense alcoholic beverages in unbroken packages for the purpose of permitting the unbroken packages to be carried off the premises. The Authority shall determine and regulate by resolution the conditions under which the sales or dispensing of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises shall be made or shall be permitted, including the hours and days during which the sale or dispensing of alcoholic beverages shall be made or shall be permitted;
27. (13) To do all things necessary or convenient to carry out the powers expressly provided by this chapter;
28. (14) Subject to Council approval by resolution, to enter into agreements or arrangements to limit interest rate risk, to facilitate the issuance of variable rate obligations or obligations with an effective variable rate and to better manage assets; the agreements or arrangements shall only be entered into in conjunction with the issuance of bonds, notes or other obligations by the Authority; and the Authority shall retain the right to discontinue or terminate any such agreement when in the reasonable opinion of the chief financial officer of the Authority it is in the best interest of the Authority; and

29. (15)

    1. (A) To retain an independent consultant to monitor the redevelopment of the Robert F. Kennedy Campus, including compliance with all requirements of the Robert F. Kennedy Campus Redevelopment Amendment Act of 2025, the terms of the Development and Financing Agreement, and all related Transaction Documents.
    2. (B) Beginning October 1, 2026, the Authority shall submit a quarterly report to the Council on the monitoring activities and the compliance findings.

    3. (C) For the purposes of this paragraph, the term:

       1. (i) "Development and Financing Agreement" shall have the same meaning as set forth in § 10-1605.01(10).
       2. (ii) "Transaction Document" shall have the same meaning as set forth in § 10-1605.01(33).

History

Sept. 28, 1994, D.C. Law 10-188, § 203, 41 DCR 5333

Aug. 12, 1998, D.C. Law 12-142, § 2(b), 45 DCR 4826

Mar. 3, 2010, D.C. Law 18-111, § 2081(e), 57 DCR 181

Oct. 8, 2016, D.C. Law 21-160, § 2172

Sept. 11, 2019, D.C. Law 23-16, § 7192(c)

Dec. 3, 2020, D.C. Law 23-149, § 7032(a)

Sept. 18, 2024, D.C. Law 25-217, § 2032(a)

Nov. 21, 2025, D.C. Law 26-54, § 24(1)

Dec. 11, 2025, D.C. Law 26-57, § 202(a)

Effective Dates

For effective date of D.C. Law 12-142, see Historical and Statutory Notes following § 10-1202.01.

Emergency Legislation

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 2081(e) of Fiscal Year Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2009 (D.C. Act 18-260, January 4, 2010, 57 DCR 345).

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 2081(e) of Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Support Second Emergency Act of 2009 (D.C. Act 18-207, October 15, 2009, 56 DCR 8234).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 7192(c) of Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2019 (D.C. Act 23-91, July 22, 2019, 66 DCR 8497).

For temporary (90 days) requirement that any unobligated proceeds from the sale of the Marriot Marquis leasehold shall be held by the Authority, see § 7193 of Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2019 (D.C. Act 23-91, July 22, 2019, 66 DCR 8497).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 7192(c) of Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2019 (D.C. Act 23-112, Sept. 4, 2019, 66 DCR 11964).

For temporary (90 days) requirement that any unobligated proceeds from the sale of the Marriot Marquis leasehold shall be held by the Authority, see § 7193 of Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2019 (D.C. Act 23-112, Sept. 4, 2019, 66 DCR 11964).

For temporary (90 days) requirement that the Washington Convention and Sports Authority ("Events DC") award the Historical Society of Washington, D.C. a grant in the amount of $100,000 to assist with the transition into new space and to facilitate the anticipated increase in visitors, see § 5 of Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Support Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2019 (D.C. Act 23-165, Nov. 20, 2019, 66 DCR 15351).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 2032(a) of Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2024 (D.C. Act 25-506, July 15, 2024, 71 DCR 8406).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 24(1) of Robert F. Kennedy Campus Redevelopment Emergency Amendment Act of 2025 (D.C. Act 26-150, Sept. 25, 2025, 72 DCR 10584).

Effect of Amendments

D.C. Law 18-111, in par. (4), substituted “employees, advisors, consultants,” for “employees,”; in par. (10), substituted “contracts, joint ventures, or other agreements” for “contracts”; added pars. (10A) to (10J); and rewrote par. (12), which had read as follows: “(12) To sell or dispense, upon obtaining a license from the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board pursuant to Title 25, or to permit others to sell or dispense, upon obtaining a license from the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises, but only upon and within the territorial limits of the property of or under the management and control of the Authority. The Authority shall not have the power to sell or dispense alcoholic beverages in unbroken packages for the purpose of permitting the unbroken packages to be carried off the premises. The Authority shall determine and regulate by resolution the conditions under which the sales or dispensing of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises shall be made or shall be permitted;”.

Prior Codifications

1981 Ed., § 9-804.

Editor's Notes

For the transfer of funds to the Washington Convention and Sports Authority to administer a matching grant program to support the National Cherry Blossom Festival, see section 2172 of D.C. Law 21-160.

Section 7193 of D.C. Law 23-16 provided that any unobligated proceeds from the sale of the Marriot Marquis leasehold shall be held by the Authority and shall be set aside for large capital grants to be issued pursuant to § 10-1202.03(10K); provided, that the proceeds first be used to satisfy the Authority's current liabilities and legally required reserves, which shall not include the elective purchase or redemption of outstanding indebtedness.

For the establishment of a matching grant program to support the 2024 National Cherry Blossom Festival ("Program"), which shall be administered by the Washington Convention and Sports Authority ("Events DC"), see § 7072 of D.C. Law 25-50.

For the administration of a grant to the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy for grounds improvements at its location in Ward 7, see § 7073 of D.C. Law 25-50.

For the establishment of a grant program to support historical research, which shall be administered by the Washington Convention and Sports Authority ("Events DC"), see § 7074 of D.C. Law 25-50.

For the establishment of a matching grant program to support the 2025 National Cherry Blossom Festival ("Program"), which shall be administered by the Washington Convention and Sports Authority ("Events DC"), see section 2112 of D.C. Act 25-506.

For the establishment of a grant program administered by the Washington Convention and Sports Authority ("Events DC") to support historical research done by a nonprofit organization occupying space in the Carnegie Library building, see section 2113 of D.C. Act 25-506.

For the requirement that the Washington Convention and Sports Authority ("Events DC") issue a grant to a nonprofit organization that provides education about how the District of Columbia has been the home for the fight for freedom and democracy, see section 2114 of D.C. Act 25-506.

For the establishment of a matching grant program to support the 2025 National Cherry Blossom Festival ("Program"), which shall be administered by the Washington Convention and Sports Authority ("Events DC"), see section 2112 of D.C. Law 25-217.

For the establishment of a grant program administered by the Washington Convention and Sports Authority ("Events DC") to support historical research done by a nonprofit organization occupying space in the Carnegie Library building, see section 2113 of D.C. Law 25-217.

For the requirement that the Washington Convention and Sports Authority ("Events DC") issue a grant to a nonprofit organization that provides education about how the District of Columbia has been the home for the fight for freedom and democracy, see section 2114 of D.C. Law 25-217.

For the requirement that, in Fiscal Year 2025, $1.5 million shall be transferred to the Washington Convention and Sports Authority ("Events DC") to use for a matching grant program to administer the 2025 National Cherry Blossom Festival ("Program"), see section 2 of D.C. Act 25-612.

For the requirement that, in Fiscal Year 2025, $1.5 million shall be transferred to the Washington Convention and Sports Authority ("Events DC") to use for a matching grant program to administer the 2025 National Cherry Blossom Festival ("Program"), see section 2 of D.C. Act 26-20.

For the requirement that, in Fiscal Year 2025, $1.5 million shall be transferred to the Washington Convention and Sports Authority ("Events DC") to use for a matching grant program to administer the 2025 National Cherry Blossom Festival ("Program"), see section 2 of D.C. Law 25-287.

For the establishment of a matching grant program to support the 2026 National Cherry Blossom Festival ("Program"), which shall be administered by the Washington Convention and Sports Authority ("Events DC"), see section 2172 of D.C. Act 26-146.

For the requirement that the Washington Convention and Sports Authority ("Events DC") issue a grant to a nonprofit organization that provides education about how the District of Columbia has been the home for the fight for freedom and democracy, see section 2173(a) of D.C. Act 26-146.

For the establishment of a grant program administered by the Washington Convention and Sports Authority ("Events DC") to support historical research done by a nonprofit organization occupying space in the Carnegie Library building, see section 2173(b) of D.C. Act 26-146.

For the establishment of a matching grant program to support the 2026 National Cherry Blossom Festival ("Program"), which shall be administered by the Washington Convention and Sports Authority ("Events DC"), see section 2172 of D.C. Act 26-210.

For the requirement that the Washington Convention and Sports Authority ("Events DC") issue a grant to a nonprofit organization that provides education about how the District of Columbia has been the home for the fight for freedom and democracy, see section 2173(a) of D.C. Act 26-210.

For the establishment of a grant program administered by the Washington Convention and Sports Authority ("Events DC") to support historical research done by a nonprofit organization occupying space in the Carnegie Library building, see section 2173(b) of D.C. Act 26-210.

For the establishment of a matching grant program to support the 2026 National Cherry Blossom Festival ("Program"), which shall be administered by the Washington Convention and Sports Authority ("Events DC"), see section 2172 of D.C. Law 26-55.

For the requirement that the Washington Convention and Sports Authority ("Events DC") issue a grant to a nonprofit organization that provides education about how the District of Columbia has been the home for the fight for freedom and democracy, see section 2173(a) of D.C. Law 26-55.

For the establishment of a grant program administered by the Washington Convention and Sports Authority ("Events DC") to support historical research done by a nonprofit organization occupying space in the Carnegie Library building, see section 2173(b) of D.C. Law 26-55.

Temporary Legislation

For temporary (225 days) requirement that the Washington Convention and Sports Authority ("Events DC") award the Historical Society of Washington, D.C. a grant in the amount of $100,000 to assist with the transition into new space and to facilitate the anticipated increase in visitors, see § 6 of Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Support Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2019 (D.C. Law 23-48, Jan. 28, 2020, 66 DCR 16179).