2007 Minnesota Statutes

240A.08 APPROPRIATION.
(a) $750,000 is appropriated annually from the general fund to the Minnesota Amateur
Sports Commission for the purpose of entering into long-term leases, use, or other agreements
with the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission for the conduct of amateur sports activities at
the basketball and hockey arena, consistent with the purposes set forth in this chapter, including
(1) stimulating and promoting amateur sports, (2) promoting physical fitness by promoting
participation in sports, (3) promoting the development of recreational amateur sport opportunities
and activities, and (4) promoting local, regional, national, and international amateur sport
competitions and events. The Amateur Sports Commission shall determine what constitutes
amateur sports activities as provided in this chapter as of March 1, 1995. The Metropolitan
Sports Facilities Commission may allocate at least 25 but no more than 50 dates a year for the
conduct of amateur sports activities at the basketball and hockey arena by the Amateur Sports
Commission. At least 12 of the dates must be on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. The Amateur
Sports Commission may sell a date at the arena to another group for any purpose. Revenue from
sale of these dates is appropriated to the Amateur Sports Commission for purposes listed in
section 240A.04. If any amateur sports activities conducted by the Amateur Sports Commission at
the basketball and hockey arena are restricted to participants of one gender, an equal number of
activities on comparable days of the week must be conducted for participants of the other gender,
but not necessarily in the same year. The legislature reserves the right to repeal or amend this
appropriation, and does not intend this appropriation to create public debt.
(b) The Amateur Sports Commission shall not transmit to the operator of the basketball and
hockey arena payment of any event-related costs or expenses, including, but not limited to,
personnel, labor, services, equipment, utilities, or supplies attributable to the events unless and
until the operator has demonstrated, to the satisfaction of the Amateur Sports Commission, the
basis for each specific cost or expense and the means by which the costs and expenses were
determined.
(c) The Amateur Sports Commission may use any ticket system as may be in place from time
to time at the basketball and hockey arena, provided that any royalty or rebate fees or charges or
surcharges on tickets received by the operator of the arena from third parties must be credited
against event-related costs or expenses.
(d) In the establishment of event-related costs to be imposed upon the Amateur Sports
Commission, the operator of the basketball and hockey arena shall provide the Amateur Sports
Commission with the maximum discount that the operator has supplied to any other sponsor of a
similar amateur sports event in the arena within the 180-day period immediately preceding the
date of the Amateur Sports Commission event.
(e) The Amateur Sports Commission must report by August 1 each year to the chairs of the
house and senate state government finance divisions on compliance with this section and on the
total value of dates and ancillary services, and revenue derived from resale of dates, during the
previous state fiscal year.
(f) The attorney general, on behalf of the Amateur Sports Commission, must pursue
collection of monetary damages from the operator of the arena if the operator fails to comply
with the requirements of this section.
(g) The books, records, documents, accounting procedures, and practices of the Metropolitan
Sports Facilities Commission, the Minneapolis Community Development Agency, and any
corporation with which the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission may contract for use of
the basketball and hockey arena are available for review by the Minnesota Amateur Sports
Commission, the legislative auditor, and the chairs of the State Government Finance Divisions
of the senate and the house of representatives, subject to chapter 13 and section 473.598,
subdivision 4 .
History: 1994 c 648 art 1 s 17; 1995 c 254 art 1 s 75; 1996 c 390 s 33