Signed by Governor Jennifer Granholm

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that provides a mechanism for the regional convention center authority to lease qualified convention facilities if the City Council of a qualified city disapproves of the sale of the convention center.

Highlights:

-Requires the Board to use their best efforts to hire employees and contractors from the qualified city and each county in the qualified metropolitan area (Sec.11). -Establishes the Citizens Advisory Council within 60 days after the transfer, to provide public input regarding redevelopment and management (Sec.11). -Allows for the lease of the convention center, for no less than 30 years for a price of $20 million with the approval of the city council, if the sale does not go through (Sec.19). -Dissolves the regional convention center authority if the transfer or lease is not approved (Sec.19). -Specifies that the lease would require the authority to renovate, rehabilitate, and expand the convention facility (Sec.19). -Notes that enactment depends on the passage of SB 586, 587, and 588 (Sec. 19).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that allows for the transfer of the Cobo Conference/Exhibition Center from the control of the city of Detroit to a newly created authority.

Highlights:

-Provides that the transfer or lease of a convention facility under this Act shall be presumed valid unless challenged in court within 30 days following the effective date of the Act, or 75 days after a metropolitan area became a 'qualified metropolitan area' under the provisions of the Act (Sec. 7). -Requires the Board to use their best efforts to balance the number and value of contracts with firms based in the qualified city and the surrounding qualified metropolitan area (Sec. 11). -Requires whichever body has authority over the Convention Center to establish, no later than 60 days after the transfer of authority, a Citizens Advisory Council to provide public input and advise the board on the impact of redevelopment and management of the Convention Center on the surrounding area (Sec. 11). -Provides that the governing body of a city in which a qualified convention center is located may pass a resolution disapproving of its transfer or lease, and dissolves the regional convention center authority if such a resolution is passed (Sec.19). -Allows the local government to retain control of the Convention Center's parking facilities if transfer of those facilities would interfere with local government bonds (Sec. 19). -Allows the CEO of the Convention Center and the authority to enter into agreements authorizing renovations and improvements on the Convention Center (Sec. 19).

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text