Chapter 229

229.24(4)(a)1. 1. “Convention” means a county, state, or national assembly of authorized, chosen, or elected delegates or representatives meeting to accomplish some specific commercial, industrial, labor, civil, social, scientific, or educational object.

229.24(4)(a)2. 2. “Patriotic affairs” means affairs given for the encouragement and support of the government in time of war, or for the benefit and support of soldiers, sailors, or marines who have been, or are in the service of the United States, including memorial exercises, exhibitions, fairs, reunions, entertainments, or barracks for such persons, and to all of which affairs the public is admitted without charge.

229.24(4)(c) (c) When not in use for any of its primary purposes, the common council of said city may authorize the gratuitous use of said institution, or any part thereof, for the purposes of conventions, or for offices, class rooms, studios, gymnasiums, lodge rooms, or accommodations for any industrial, commercial, scientific, educational, fraternal, musical, or labor organization which in its opinion will prove a public benefit to the city and promote the welfare and public interests of its citizens and to which said citizens are admitted without charge; and said purposes are hereby declared to be public purposes.

229.24(4)(d) (d) Whenever the common council shall approve the gratuitous use of the institution for the particular conventions and purposes specified in this subsection, said common council shall appropriate to the auditorium fund the usual and customary rentals charged therefor. The aggregate amount to be so expended may be made a part of the annual budget, as provided by ch. 65, 1943 stats.

229.24 History History: 1971 c. 152 s. 29; Stats. 1971 s. 229.24; 1975 c. 94 s. 91 (9); 2015 a. 196.

229.25 229.25 Annual report. The auditorium board shall report annually to the common council all receipts into and disbursements from the auditorium fund, and the balance on hand.

229.25 History History: 1971 c. 152 s. 29; Stats. 1971 s. 229.25.

229.26 229.26 Exposition center.

229.26(1) (1) Any city of the 1st class may in addition to all other powers conferred upon it establish and maintain a convention complex and exposition center, hereinafter termed “convention institution”, for the purpose of holding conventions, public meetings, expositions, exhibits, trade shows, gatherings, conferences and other related purposes of a public nature which are hereby declared to be public purposes.

229.26(2) (2) The building, maintenance and operation of the convention institution shall be under the complete and autonomous control of a board which shall act independently and shall be designated as the “(city) Exposition and Convention Center and Arena Board”. Such board shall be composed of the number of members as provided for by resolution adopted by the common council of such city. The common council shall prescribe the terms of members of the board and shall designate the manner in which they shall be selected. The board may sue and be sued.

229.26(3) (3) The board shall have complete maintenance, supervision, control and operation of the convention institution and it shall regulate, control and designate the use thereof. The board shall also fix the terms and conditions for its use and do all things necessary for the maintenance and operation thereof and it shall handle all finances of the convention institution.

229.26(4) (4) Title to all property real or personal of the convention institution shall be in the name of such city and shall, except as provided in s. 229.47 (1), be held by such city for such purposes, but the board shall determine the use to which such property shall be devoted as provided for in this section.

229.26(4m) (4m) A common council that creates a convention institution under this section may dissolve the convention institution and the convention institution’s board and transfer all of the assets and liabilities owned or administered by the convention institution if the common council enters into a transfer agreement under s. 229.47 (1) with a district that has jurisdiction over the territory in which the convention institution is located.

229.26(5) (5) The common council of such city may appropriate such sums as may be required to supplement revenues of the convention institution in order for the board to regulate, control and operate the convention institution. The board may receive gifts and contributions from any source as in the judgment of such board shall be consistent and in keeping with the general operations and public purpose of the convention institution.

229.26(6) (6) The common council may by resolution adopted by it impose additional duties and responsibilities upon the board in connection with the operation, maintenance and control of such convention institution, however, the board shall itself determine the manner in which such operation shall be performed.

229.26(7) (7) In addition to all other powers of the board, the board may hire and retain personnel including the selection of a general manager for the convention institution and the board shall determine the manner of selection of all of its employees. The board shall establish the compensation for its personnel but shall relate as far as possible to general wage rates of such city of the 1st class for comparable work performed. The board may also enter into contracts on behalf of the board without first obtaining approval of the common council of such city and such contracts may be entered into with respect to all matters which relate to the operation, control and use of the convention institution as determined by the board.

229.26(8) (8) The board shall report annually or more frequently as the common council so determines with respect to all receipts and disbursements of the board, balances of the board’s funds and all other matters which bear upon the board’s operations. Expenditures made by the board from funds under its control shall not require prior approval of the common council of such city.

229.26(10) (10) If the employees who perform services for the board are included within one or more collective bargaining units under subch. IV of ch. 111 that do not include other employees of the sponsoring municipality, and a collective bargaining agreement exists between the sponsoring municipality and the representative of those employees in any such unit, and if the common council enters into a transfer agreement under s. 229.47 (1), the board shall transfer its functions under that collective bargaining agreement to a local exposition district under subch. II in accordance with the transfer agreement. Upon the effective date of the transfer, the local exposition district shall carry out the functions of the employer under that agreement. Notwithstanding s. 111.70 (4) (d), during the term of any such collective bargaining agreement that is in effect at the time of the transfer, the existing collective bargaining unit to which the agreement applies shall not be altered.

229.26 History History: 1971 c. 257; 1975 c. 47; 1993 a. 263; 2015 a. 60.

229.27 229.27 Municipal theater.

229.27(1) (1) Any city of the 1st class may, in addition to all other powers conferred upon it, establish and maintain a municipal theater hereinafter termed “theater”, for the purpose of providing a community facility to further the advancement of the performing arts and other related purposes of a public nature which are hereby declared to be public purposes.

229.27(2) (2) An independent board shall be designated by the local governing body as the “(City) Theater Board”. The board shall be composed of the number of members as provided for by resolution adopted by the local governing body of the city. The local governing body shall prescribe the terms of members of the board. Members shall be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the local governing body.

229.27(3) (3) The board shall have complete and autonomous control of the building, maintenance, supervision and operation of the theater; and shall regulate, control and designate the use thereof. The board shall also fix the terms and conditions for use of the theater and do all things necessary for the maintenance and operation thereof and shall handle all finances of the theater. The board shall also contract or otherwise provide for personnel and other services and rentals necessary for the operation of the facility. The board may sue and be sued.

229.27(4) (4) 

229.27(4)(a) (a) Title to all property, real or personal, of the theater may be in the name of the city and may be held by the city perpetually for such purposes, but the board shall determine the use to which the property shall be devoted under this section.

229.27(4)(b) (b) Subject to the approval of the local governing body of the city, the board may enter into a transfer agreement with another person to provide the terms and conditions upon which the board may transfer any of the city’s interests in an existing theater. A transfer may take the form of a sale, lease or other conveyance and may be with or without financial consideration, except that if the transfer is made to a private, for-profit entity, the transfer shall be for fair market financial consideration. A transfer agreement shall require the transferee to accept an assignment of all contracts with other persons, with respect to the transferred theater, that are in force at the time of the transfer except that this provision does not apply to collective bargaining contracts.

229.27(5) (5) The local governing body of such city may appropriate such sums as may be required to supplement revenues of the theater in order for the board to regulate, control and operate the theater. As in the judgment of such board shall be consistent and in keeping with the general operation and public purposes of the theater, the board may receive, hold and manage any devise, bequest, donation or loan for the establishment, increase or maintenance thereof, under such regulations and conditions as may be prescribed pursuant to law or agreed upon by and between the donors and the board.

229.27(6) (6) The local governing body may by resolution adopted by it impose additional duties and responsibilities upon the board in connection with the operation, maintenance and control of the theater, however the board shall itself determine the manner in which such operations shall be performed.

229.27(7) (7) In addition to all other powers of the board, the board may hire and retain all personnel, or contract or designate responsibility for the supervision of the theater and the board shall determine the manner of selection of all of its employees, contracts or designees. The board shall establish the compensation for its personnel. The board may enter into contracts on behalf of the board without first obtaining approval of the local governing body of the city, and such contracts may be entered into with respect to all matters which relate to the operation, control and use of the theater as determined by the board.

229.27(8) (8) The board shall report annually or more frequently as the local governing body so determines with respect to all receipts and disbursements of the board, balances of the board’s funds and all other matters which bear upon the board’s operations. Expenditures made by the board from funds under its control shall not require the approval of the local governing body of the city.

229.27(9) (9) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, all actions of the board may be reviewed, modified or nullified by appropriate action of the local governing body.

229.27 History History: 1977 c. 134; 1999 a. 112.

subch. II of ch. 229 SUBCHAPTER II

LOCAL EXPOSITION DISTRICTS

229.40 229.40 Legislative declaration.

229.40(1) (1) The legislature finds and determines that the provision of assistance by state agencies, in conjunction with local units of government, to a district under this subchapter and any expenditure of funds to assist a district under this subchapter serve a statewide public purpose by assisting the development and construction of sports and entertainment arena facilities in the state for providing recreation, by encouraging economic development and tourism, by reducing unemployment, by preserving business activities within the state, and by bringing needed capital into the state for the benefit and welfare of people throughout the state.

229.40(2) (2) The legislature finds and determines that a district serves a public purpose in the district’s jurisdiction to the local units of government in which it is located by providing recreation, by encouraging economic development and tourism, by reducing unemployment, by preserving business activities within the district’s jurisdiction, and by bringing needed capital into the district’s jurisdiction for the benefit and welfare of people in the district’s jurisdiction.

229.40 History History: 2015 a. 60.

229.41 229.41 Definitions. In this subchapter:

229.41(2) (2) “Board of directors” means the board of directors of a district.

229.41(3) (3) “Bond” means any bond, note or other obligation of a district issued under this subchapter.

229.41(3m) (3m) “Bond resolution” means a resolution of the board of directors authorizing the issuance of, or providing terms and conditions related to, bonds and includes, where appropriate, any trust agreement, trust indenture, indenture of mortgage or deed of trust providing terms and conditions for bonds.

229.41(4) (4) “Chief executive officer” means, as to a sponsoring municipality, the mayor or city manager of a city, the village president of a village or the county executive of a county or, if the county does not have a county executive, the chairperson of the county board of supervisors.

229.41(4m) (4m) “District” means a special purpose district created under this subchapter.

229.41(5) (5) “Enabling resolution” means a resolution, or an amendment of a resolution, adopted by the governing body of a sponsoring municipality and signed by the chief executive officer to create a district.

229.41(6) (6) “Exposition center” means one or more related structures, including fixtures and equipment, owned, operated or leased by a district and used primarily for conventions, expositions, trade shows, musical or dramatic events or other events involving educational, cultural or commercial activities, and not primarily for recreational or sporting activities.

229.41(7) (7) “Exposition center facilities” means land or structures, including fixtures and equipment, owned, operated or leased by a district that are used primarily to support the activities of an exposition center, and are functionally related to the exposition center, such as offices, parking lots and garages, storage or loading facilities, access ways, transportation facilities, restaurants and stores.

229.41(8) (8) “Exposition center site” means land owned, operated or leased by a district upon which an exposition center or exposition center facilities exist or may be constructed.

229.41(9) (9) “Private sector entity” means an entity that is not a public sector entity.

229.41(9e) (9e) “Professional basketball team” means a team that is a member of a league of professional basketball teams that have home arenas approved by the league in at least 10 states and a collective average attendance for all league members of at least 10,000 persons per game over the 5 years immediately preceding the year in which a district is created.

229.41(10) (10) “Public sector entity” means this state, a city, village, town or county or a quasi-governmental entity.

229.41(11) (11) “Sponsoring municipality” means any city, village, town or county that creates a district either separately or in combination with another city, village, town or county.

229.41(11e) (11e) “Sports and entertainment arena” means the arena structure and the land necessary for its location that is used as the home arena of a professional basketball team and for other sports, recreation, and entertainment activities.

229.41(11g) (11g) “Sports and entertainment arena facilities” means the sports and entertainment arena and structures, including all fixtures, equipment, and tangible personal property that are used primarily to support the operation of the sports and entertainment arena or are functionally related to the sports and entertainment arena, located on land not to exceed 9 contiguous acres in area. Such sports and entertainment arena facilities shall include such land and may include offices of the professional basketball team or its affiliate, parking spaces and garages, storage or loading facilities, access ways, sidewalks, a skywalk, plazas, transportation facilities, and sports team stores located on such land. In addition, “sports and entertainment arena facilities” also includes a parking structure to be constructed by a professional basketball team or its affiliate in conjunction with the construction of the sports and entertainment arena and to be owned by the sponsoring municipality.

229.41(12) (12) “Transfer agreement” means the contract between a district and a sponsoring municipality under s. 229.47 (1), or a contract between a district and the Bradley Center Sports and Entertainment Corporation under s. 229.47 (2), that provides the terms and conditions upon which the ownership and operation of an exposition center and exposition center facilities or ownership of the Bradley Center or any part of the center, including real property, is transferred from a sponsoring municipality or the Bradley Center Sports and Entertainment Corporation to the district.

229.41 History History: 1993 a. 263; 2015 a. 60.

229.42 229.42 Creation and organization.

229.42(1) (1) A sponsoring municipality may create a special purpose district that is a unit of government, that is a body corporate and politic, that is separate and distinct from, and independent of, the state and the sponsoring municipality, and that has the powers under s. 229.44, if the sponsoring municipality does all of the following:

229.42(1)(a) (a) Adopts an enabling resolution, subject to sub. (2), that does all of the following:

229.42(1)(a)1. 1. Declares the need for establishing the district.

229.42(1)(a)2. 2. Contains findings of public purpose.

229.42(1)(a)3. 3. Names the district.

229.42(1)(a)4. 4. Contains a description of the exposition center to be developed, owned, leased or operated by the district.

229.42(1)(a)5. 5. If the sole sponsoring municipality is a 1st class city, states that the municipality agrees to stop imposing and collecting its room tax under s. 66.0615 (1m) (a).

229.42(1)(b) (b) Files copies of the enabling resolution with the secretary of administration, the secretary of revenue and the county executive, if the sponsoring municipality is not a county.

229.42(2) (2) A district may have more than one sponsoring municipality if each sponsoring municipality is identified in a substantially similar enabling resolution that is adopted by the governing body of each sponsoring municipality within a 90-day period commencing with the date of adoption of the first enabling resolution.

229.42(3) (3) The district shall be governed by its board of directors and, except for the 3rd member described under sub. (4) (d) who is either a chief executive officer of a municipality or a resident of the district, may not act until all of the persons appointed to its board are certified under s. 229.435. The board of directors shall adopt bylaws to govern the district’s activities, subject to this subchapter.

229.42(4) (4) Subject to sub. (4e), if the sole sponsoring municipality is a 1st class city, the board of directors shall consist of 17 members, who shall be qualified and appointed, subject to sub. (7) (b), as follows:

229.42(4)(a) (a) Two members, who shall be residents of the sponsoring municipality and primarily employees or officers of a private sector entity, shall be appointed by the chief executive officer of the sponsoring municipality.

229.42(4)(b) (b) Three members, each of whom shall be a resident of the sponsoring municipality and primarily an employee or officer of a public sector entity, shall be appointed by the president of the governing body of the sponsoring municipality and the president may appoint himself or herself.

229.42(4)(c) (c) One member shall be the comptroller of the sponsoring municipality, except that if the sponsoring municipality does not have a comptroller one member shall be the chief financial officer of the sponsoring municipality.

229.42(4)(d) (d) Three members, 2 of whom shall be primarily employees or officers of a private sector entity, shall be appointed by the county executive of the most populous county in which the sponsoring municipality is located and the 2 private sector entity members shall reside in the county but may not reside in the sponsoring municipality. The 3rd member shall be the chief executive officer of a municipality that contributes a minimum of five-fourteenths of its room tax to an entity which promotes tourism and conventions within the jurisdiction of the district, as that term is used in s. 229.43, except that if no municipality makes this minimum contribution the 3rd member shall be a resident of the district. The room tax contribution shall be at least $150,000 each year. The chief executive officer appointed under this paragraph shall serve a term that expires 2 years after his or her appointment, or shall serve until the expiration of his or her term of elective office, whichever occurs first. This paragraph does not apply, and no appointments may be made under this paragraph, after the secretary of administration issues the certification described in sub. (4e) (d).

229.42(4)(e) (e) Four members, one of whom shall be the secretary of administration and 3 of whom shall be primarily employees or officers of a private sector entity, who shall be appointed by the governor. Of the 3 members who are officers or employees of a private sector entity, at least one of the appointees shall own, operate or manage an enterprise that is located within the district’s jurisdiction and that has significant involvement with the food and beverage industry and at least one of the appointees shall own, operate or manage an enterprise that is located within the district’s jurisdiction and that has significant involvement with the lodging industry. At least 2 of the appointees under this paragraph shall reside in the district’s jurisdiction but may not reside in the sponsoring municipality. Upon the secretary of administration issuing the certification described in sub. (4e) (d), the secretary may continue to serve on the board of directors or may select a designee to serve in his or her place, and the 3 members previously appointed by the governor under this paragraph shall be appointed by the county executive of the most populous county in which the sponsoring municipality is located, subject to the other provisions of this paragraph.

229.42(4)(f) (f)

229.42(4)(f)1. 1. Two members, one of whom shall be the speaker of the assembly, or his or her designee, and one of whom shall be the senate majority leader, or his or her designee, if the designee is a member of the same house of the legislature as the speaker or majority leader who makes the designation.

229.42(4)(f)2. 2. Two members, one of whom shall be the minority leader of the assembly, or his or her designee, and one of whom shall be the senate minority leader, or his or her designee, if the designee is a member of the same house of the legislature as the minority leader who makes the designation.

229.42(4)(g) (g) Upon the secretary of administration issuing the certification described in sub. (4e) (d):

229.42(4)(g)1. 1. One member who shall be appointed by the county executive of the most populous county in which the sponsoring municipality is located and who shall be either primarily an employee or officer of a private sector entity. The appointee shall own, operate, or manage an enterprise that is located within the district’s jurisdiction and that has either significant involvement with the food and beverage industry or significant involvement with the lodging industry. The appointee under this subdivision shall reside in the district’s jurisdiction but may not reside in the sponsoring municipality.

229.42(4)(g)2. 2. One member who shall be appointed by the county executive of the most populous county in which the sponsoring municipality is located and who is the chief executive officer, or his or her designee, of a municipality that contributes a minimum of five-fourteenths of its room tax to an entity that promotes tourism and conventions within the jurisdiction of the district, as that term is used in s. 229.43. If no municipality makes this minimum contribution, the county executive shall appoint an additional member who shall be a resident of the district. The room tax contribution shall be at least $150,000 each year. The chief executive officer described under this subdivision shall serve a term that is concurrent with his or her term of elective office.

229.42(4)(h) (h) Upon the secretary of administration issuing the certification described in sub. (4e) (d), one member shall be the comptroller of the most populous county in which the sponsoring municipality is located, except that if that county does not have a comptroller, one member shall be the chief financial officer of the most populous county in which the sponsoring municipality is located.

229.42(4e) (4e) 

229.42(4e)(a) (a) With regard to a district that exists on August 14, 2015, notwithstanding the provisions of subs. (4) (a) to (f) and (7) (b), the terms of office of all members of the board of directors shall expire on August 14, 2015, except that the secretary of administration shall continue as a board member and he or she shall become chairperson of the board of directors, notwithstanding sub. (8).

229.42(4e)(b) (b) Not later than 30 days after August 14, 2015, each appointing authority under sub. (4) (a) to (e) shall appoint and certify new members of the board of directors as provided in sub. (4) and s. 229.435, except that the secretary of administration who continues in office as provided in par. (a) need not be reappointed under sub. (4) (e). The members described in sub. (4) (c) and (f) shall become members of the board of directors on August 14, 2015.

229.42(4e)(c) (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of sub. (3), the secretary of administration may act before all board members appointed as provided in par. (b) are certified.

229.42(4e)(d) (d) The secretary of administration shall serve as chairperson of the board of directors until the secretary certifies that a sports and entertainment arena, the construction of which commences on or after August 14, 2015, is completed. The secretary of administration shall make the certification described under this paragraph as soon as he or she determines that the sports and entertainment arena is completed, but not later than the first game played in the sports and entertainment arena by the professional basketball team that uses the arena as its home arena.

229.42(4e)(e) (e) The terms of board members appointed under par. (b) shall expire or terminate upon the earliest occurrence of one of the following:

229.42(4e)(e)1. 1. Two years after the member is certified under s. 229.435.

229.42(4e)(e)2. 2. The secretary of administration makes the certification described in par. (d).

229.42(4e)(e)3. 3. One of the provisions described in sub. (7) (b) 2. or 3. occurs.