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Regular Session, 2012 ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 32
BY SENATOR MURRAY
A RESOLUTION
To establish and provide for the Major Event Funding Study Committee to conduct a study
of the feasibility of establishing trust funds to support the hosting of major events in
Louisiana.
WHEREAS, Louisiana and its communities have been and continue to be a prime
venue for major events, such as the National Football League Super Bowl; the Arena Bowl,
the National Basketball Association All Star Game; the Sugar Bowl; the New Orleans Jazz
and Heritage Festival; Mardi Gras parades and balls in New Orleans and various other cities
and towns in the state; the New Orleans Bowl; the Independence Bowl; the Festival
Acadiens et Creoles; the Olympic Track & Field Trials; the Baton Rouge Blues Festival;
various NCAA championships; Southeastern Conference championships; Bassmasters
Classic; the Zurich Classic; AAU Junior Olympics; and the International Special Olympics;
and
WHEREAS, there are a variety of food fairs and festivals throughout the state,
including: the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival; Franklin Parish Catfish Festival; the Breaux
Bridge Crawfish Festival; the Gonzales Jambalaya Festival; and the Zwolle Tamale Fiesta,
to name a few; and
WHEREAS, major events provide a positive economic impact in the market area of
the host venue, and the beneficiaries are wide in scope, including the hospitality industry,
those benefitting from local and state taxes, and the local business community; and
WHEREAS, there are numerous entities within the state which devote their efforts
to attracting, hosting, and staging major events whether area wide, statewide, regional,
national, or international in nature; and
WHEREAS, the funding for such events generally comes from private and public
sources; and
WHEREAS, in at least one state, Texas, state law provides economic development
incentives to attract major sporting events by establishing various trust funds to provide
financial support for designated sporting events; and SR NO. 32 ENROLLED
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WHEREAS, prior to the actual event, the hosting local government provides an
estimate of the additional tax revenue to be collected by the local government because of the
event; and
WHEREAS, the state then multiplies the local government estimate by a factor to
determine the additional state tax revenue to be collected by the state because of the event;
and
WHEREAS, after the event, both the local government and the state deposit the
estimated tax amount into a fund to be used to pay claims for costs incurred in hosting the
event, until the fund is no longer funded.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby establish the Major Event Funding Study Committee to study the feasibility of
establishing trust funds to support the hosting of major events in Louisiana.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee shall consist of the following
persons:
(1) Three members of the Senate Finance Committee appointed by the president of
the Senate, one of whom shall be the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.
(2) One representative of the LSU Athletic Department appointed by the chancellor
of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College.
(3) One representative of the Tulane University Athletic Department appointed by
the chancellor of Tulane University.
(4) One representative of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation.
(5) One representative of the Baton Rouge Area Sports Foundation.
(6) One representative of the Sugar Bowl Committee.
(7) One representative of the Fore!Kids Foundation.
(8) One representative of the Shreveport/Bossier Sports Commission.
(9) One athletic sales manager of the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention
& Visitors Bureau.
(10) The sports sales and marketing director of the Lafayette Convention & Visitors
Bureau.
(11) The marketing and sales manager of the Alexandria/Pineville Area Convention SR NO. 32 ENROLLED
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& Visitors Bureau.
(12) The sports marketing director of the Monroe/West Monroe Convention &
Visitors Bureau.
(13) One representative of the division of administration designated by the
commissioner of administration.
(14) One state economist designated by the commissioner of administration.
(15) One representative of the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District.
(16) One representative of the National Football League New Orleans Saints.
(17) One representative of the National Basketball Association New Orleans
Hornets.
(18) Three representatives of the Louisiana Association of Convention and Visitors
Bureau.
(19) The president and chief executive officer of the New Orleans Convention and
Visitors Bureau.
(20) The lieutenant governor or his designee.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the designation of membership set forth in this
Resolution shall be submitted to the office of the Senate president prior to July 31, 2012.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee shall meet upon the call of the
president of the Senate prior to August 15, 2012, and at its first meeting, the committee shall
select a chairman from among its members.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate shall facilitate, staff, and support the
functions and duties of the committee pursuant to this Resolution.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee shall submit a report to the Senate
on or before January 1, 2013.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the
LSU Athletic Department, the Tulane University Athletic Department, the Greater New
Orleans Sports Foundation, the Baton Rouge Area Sports Foundation, the Sugar Bowl
Committee, the Fore!Kids Foundation, the Shreveport/Bossier Sports Commission, the Lake
Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Lafayette Convention &
Visitors Bureau, the Alexandria/Pineville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, the SR NO. 32 ENROLLED
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Monroe/West Monroe Convention & Visitors Bureau, the commissioner of administration,
the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District, the New Orleans Saints, the New Orleans
Hornets, the Louisiana Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus, the New Orleans
Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the lieutenant governor.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE