1. (1) Each authority has, and the board may exercise the power to take all steps reasonable, necessary, or advisable to generate local support for the development of projects, including professional sports facilities and related amenities and infrastructure, to serve as an intermediary and facilitate negotiations with and among private interests, community organizations, and governmental authorities in connection with the construction or development of such projects, and to explore, research, and analyze financing and related alternatives for the construction or development of such projects.
2. (2) As appropriate, the authority shall present findings and make recommendations to the applicable governmental entity necessary to secure support or action with respect to such recommendations and to secure sources of financing and other funding alternatives for the construction or development of such projects.

3. (3) In the event an appropriate governmental authority, acting upon the recommendations of the authority, has approved a source or sources of funding to finance the construction or development of a project and such source or sources of funding, if consisting of revenues to be derived from a new tax, assessment, surcharge or levy, or from an increase to an existing tax, assessment, surcharge or levy, have been approved by a majority of the qualified electors within the jurisdiction of such governmental authority voting in a duly held referendum, the board may exercise the power to:

   1. (a) Either alone or in cooperation with the eligible county or other governmental body, finance, refinance, acquire, plan, design, develop, construct, own, lease, operate, maintain, manage, renovate, improve, and promote any project located in the eligible county or any county contiguous therewith consisting of one or more facilities and other attractions and related amenities and infrastructure, including: professional sports facilities and recreational, commercial, cultural, and educational facilities; civic, multi-purpose meeting facilities; and all forms of media communication, transmission, and production systems and facilities.

      1. During the 24-month period following establishment of an authority, the only project an authority may initiate is a professional sports facility and related amenities and infrastructure, which initiation must be evidenced by adoption of a resolution setting forth the authority's commitment to initiate and promptly implement a professional sports facility project;

      2. A professional sports facility may not be constructed outside the eligible county that is intended to accommodate regular season games of a professional sports franchise that exists within the National League or the American League of Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League, or the National Hockey League; and

      3. No other project may be constructed outside the eligible county unless the authority and the county in which such facility will be located have entered into an interlocal agreement with respect to such project.

   2. (b) Finance, refinance, acquire, plan, design, develop, construct, own, lease, operate, maintain, manage, renovate, improve, and promote any facilities and infrastructure within the authority's jurisdictional boundaries that are reasonably ancillary, incidental, or supporting of projects, including, but not limited to, roads, bridges, parking, and other transportation facilities.

4. (4) In addition, the board may exercise the power to:

   1. (a) Provide for the protection of persons using the facilities of the authority by contracting to provide police protection, emergency medical services, and fire protection related to the facilities only with the prior consent of the county or municipality that provides these services at the time of the establishment of the authority.
   2. (b) Sue and be sued in the name of the authority.
   3. (c) Adopt and use a seal and authorize the use of a facsimile thereof.
   4. (d) Make and execute contracts and other instruments necessary or convenient to the exercise of its powers.
   5. (e) Employ staff and contract for the services of such independent consultants, professionals, managers, and operators as the board finds necessary and convenient.
   6. (f) Maintain offices as the board finds necessary.
   7. (g) Adopt procedures for the conduct of the authority's affairs, the conduct of its business, and the administration of this act.
   8. (h) Accept gifts; apply for and use grants or loans of money or other property from the United States or any department, agency, or unit of local government thereof, the state or any of its subdivisions or agencies, any other state or any subdivision or agency thereof, or any person for authority purposes and enter into any agreements required in connection therewith; and hold, use, and dispose of money or property for any authority purposes in accordance with the terms of the gift, grant, loan, or agreement relating thereto.
   9. (i) Hold, control, and acquire by donation or purchase, and dispose of, any real or personal property, or any estate therein, within or outside the authority's boundaries, for any authority purpose.
   10. (j) Lease as lessor or lessee to or from any person, public or private, any projects of the type that the authority is authorized to undertake and facilities or property of any nature for the use of the authority to carry out any of the purposes authorized by this act.
   11. (k) Borrow money and issue bonds or other evidence of indebtedness as otherwise provided in this act.
   12. (l) Fix, collect, and enforce fees, rates, or other user charges for any service, program, or facility provided by the authority.
   13. (m) Cooperate and contract with other governmental entities and, under an interlocal agreement with such an entity, undertake any project authorized in this act or that the contracting governmental entity is authorized to undertake and that furthers an authority purpose.
   14. (n) Invest moneys received by the authority as is permitted by law or as provided in any resolution adopted by the board.
   15. (o) Procure necessary insurance or self-insure.
   16. (p) Establish such independent entities or affiliated entities, whether in the form of a not-for-profit corporation or other legal entity, for such purposes as the board considers necessary or appropriate to carry out its projects or to administer projects or funds for the benefit of all or any portion of the eligible county or any county contiguous therewith.
   17. (q) Make grants of authority funds to the eligible county or any county contiguous therewith or to any municipality, or any other governmental unit in any such county if the grant furthers any purpose of the authority.
   18. (r) Exercise all powers necessary, convenient, incidental, or proper in connection with any of the powers, duties, or purposes authorized by this act.

History.--s. 9, ch. 2000-348.