§ 10–1202.02. Establishment of the Washington Convention and Sports Authority; purpose of the Authority.
(a) There is established, as an independent authority of the District government, the Washington Convention and Sports Authority. The Authority shall be a corporate body, created to effectuate certain public purposes, that has a legal existence separate from the District government.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, the general purposes of the Authority are to:
(1) Acquire, construct, equip, maintain, and operate the new convention center, in whole or in part, directly or under contract;
(2) Promote, develop, and maintain the District as a location for convention, trade shows, and other meetings;
(3) Engage in activities to promote trade shows, conventions, concerts, and other events related to activities at a facility of the Authority;
(4) Consolidate the District’s efforts in promoting and managing sporting and entertainment events;
(5) Promote, develop, and maintain the District as a location for sporting events, sports teams, recreational events, film, television, and other motion picture productions, and entertainment events, directly or under contract;
(6) Develop, construct, and lease the ballpark in accordance with § 10-1601.05;
(7) Encourage and support youth activities in the District, including by sponsoring sporting events for young athletes, attracting national collegiate championships to the District, and providing disadvantaged youths with opportunities to attend sporting events;
(8) Exercise the non-military functions of the Armory Board and the Armory, including controlling the scheduling, rental, and promotion of the Armory and its adjacent facilities and leasing unused or vacant space in the Armory;
(9) Exercise the non-regulatory functions of the Boxing and Wrestling Commission, including all advertising, promotion, and attraction of boxing, wrestling, and mixed martial arts events;
(10) Maintain and operate the old convention center site until such time as is considered appropriate by the Mayor; and
(11) Promote and support cultural institutions operating in the District of Columbia.
(c) The Authority shall create an energy-efficient new convention center suitable for multipurpose use for housing trade shows, conventions, cultural, political, musical, educational, entertainment, athletic, or other events, displaying exhibits and attractions, and promoting the historical, natural and recreational resources of the District, including all facilities necessary or convenient to that purpose, regardless of whether the facilities are contiguous, including the following: exhibit halls; auditoriums; theaters; restaurants and other facilities for the purveying of food, beverages, publications, souvenirs, novelties and goods and services of all kinds, whether operated or purveyed directly or indirectly through concessioners, licensees or lessees or otherwise; meeting room facilities and parking areas in connection therewith, including meeting rooms that provide for simultaneous translation capabilities for several languages; related lands, buildings, structures, fixtures, equipment, and personalty appurtenant or convenient to the foregoing; and extension, addition, and improvement of such facilities.
(d) The Authority shall designate the Program Manager or Program Management Consultant, required by § 10-1202.04(g)(1), to serve as the community liaison to act as a single point of contact to disseminate information to, and to receive comments from, the community related to the new convention center.