Meadowlands Basketball Associates v. Director, Division of Taxation

19 N.J. Tax 85
CourtNew Jersey Tax Court
DecidedJuly 24, 2000
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 19 N.J. Tax 85 (Meadowlands Basketball Associates v. Director, Division of Taxation) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Jersey Tax Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Meadowlands Basketball Associates v. Director, Division of Taxation, 19 N.J. Tax 85 (N.J. Super. Ct. 2000).

Opinion

SMALL, J.T.C.

Plaintiff challenges an assessment made by defendant under the New Jersey Sales and Use Tax Act, N.J.S.A. 54:32B-1 to -29, for the period April 1, 1993 through March 31, 1997. The amount of the assessment is not in dispute. The sole issue before this court is whether a 10% impost fee, included and separately stated on the face of each ticket sold and collected by plaintiff on behalf of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (“NJSEA”) pursuant to a licensing agreement between plaintiff and the NJSEA, is exempt from sales tax pursuant to N.J.S.A. 54:32B—9(a)(1) or -9(f).

[87]*87The matter is submitted on a joint stipulation of facts filed in connection with cross-motions for summary judgment and a supplemental affidavit submitted by plaintiff.1 R. 8:8—1(b). There are no genuine issues of material facts, and the matter is ripe for summary judgment. R. 4:46-2. Brill v. Guardian Life Ins. Co. of America, 142 N.J. 520, 523, 666 A.2d 146 (1995). For the reasons expressed below I have determined that the Director’s assessment should be affirmed.

I.

Plaintiff is a member of the National Basketball Association and owner of a team known as the “Nets.” The NJSEA owns the arena in which the Nets play their home basketball games, currently named “Continental Airlines Arena,” in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The NJSEA was created pursuant to the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority Law, L. 1971, c. 137, N.J.S.A. 5:10-1 to -38, with one of its purposes being to provide an arena and related facilities to accommodate professional athletic teams which may wish to locate in New Jersey.

The NJSEA leases the arena to plaintiff pursuant to a license agreement, which was in effect and complied with by the parties during the tax period at issue. The license agreement sets forth the terms of use of the arena and the obligations and rights of both the NJSEA and plaintiff. This included the payment of a separately calculated annual licensor’s percentage :and an annual event cost reimbursement. N.J.S.A. 5:10-5(k) gives the NJSEA the power to

fix and revise from time to time and charge and collect rents, tolls, fees ,and charges for the use, occupancy or services of its projects or any part thereof or for admission thereto, and for the grant of concessions therein and for things furnished or services rendered by the authority[.j

The NJSEA exercised this power under section 6.2(a) of the license agreement, charging an “admission impost” of 10% of the [88]*88price of each ticket sold for admission to Nets home games. Plaintiff was required to collect the 10% impost on behalf of the NJSEA from purchasers of tickets to Nets basketball games. This charge is used by the NJSEA to fund its statutory mandate of constructing and operating professional sports facilities in New Jersey.

During the tax period at issue, April 1, 1993 through March 31, 1997, plaintiff separately stated on each ticket (1) the price of admission, (2) the 10% impost fee charged by the Authority on each admission charge, designated “NJSEA,” (3) the sales tax, and (4) the total cost, which was the sum of the prior three charges. Plaintiff did not chai’ge or collect sales tax on the NJSEA’s 10% impost charge, but did collect and remit to the Division of Taxation sales tax on the amount designated as “price” on each ticket.

The admission impost funds collected by plaintiff were recorded and accounted for as a separate and segregated liability to the NJSEA for each season. When Nets games were played, the appropriate amounts were recorded as ticket revenue, sales tax payable, and impost payable. Each of these amounts was credited to separate general ledger accounts. After each basketball season, plaintiff and the NJSEA reconciled all of the financial components of the license agreement, including ticket sales, parking receipts, concession sales, suite sales, and impost charges. All of the impost charges were transferred to the NJSEA.

On December 2, 1997, defendant Director sent a Notice of Assessment to plaintiff, based on plaintiffs liability under the New Jersey Sales and Use Tax Act, N.J.S.A. 54:32B-1 to -29, for tax on the 10% impost fees for the period April 1, 1993 through March 31, 1997. The Director’s assessment was $388,141.63 tax, plus interest as of December 30, 1997 of $128,195.90. Thus, the total amount of the assessment was $516,337.53. No penalties were assessed. A timely appeal to this court followed. N.J.S.A. 54:32B-21, and:51A-13, and -14.

II.

Plaintiff argues that the 10% impost was levied by a State authority, the NJSEA, and is, therefore, exempt from the New [89]*89Jersey Sales and Use Tax under N.J.S.A. 54:32B-9(a)(1). The charge was separately stated on each ticket, and separately accounted for and segregated in the financial statements of plaintiff.

The Director argues that plaintiff cannot establish that the NJSEA admission charge (the 10% impost based on the ticket price) qualifies for an exemption from the New Jersey Sales and Use Tax under N.J.S.A. 54:82B-9(a)(1). The Director also argues that the applicable section (if any) for exemption in this case is N.J.S.A. 54:32B-9(f) which, by its terms, is inapplicable under the facts in this case.

III.

N.J.S.A. 54:32B-3(e)(1) imposes the sales tax on admission charges to basketball games: “There is imposed and there shall be paid a tax of 6% upon: ... falny admission charge ... including charges for admission to ... basketball.... ” The tax is imposed on an “admission charge.” Separate subsections of the statute impose the tax on “eveiy retail sale of tangible personal property,” N.J.S.A. 54:32B-8(a), and “the receipts from every sale except for resale, of the following services.” N.J.S.A. 54:32B-8(b). Thus, an admission charge is something different from a sale of property and from a sale of services. An admission charge is defined as “[t]he amount paid for admission, including any service charge and any charge for entertainment or amusement or for the use of facilities therefor.” N.J.S.A. 54:32B-2(o). A “place of amusement” is defined as “[a]ny place where any facilities for ... sports are provided.” N.J.S.A. 54:32B-2(t).

In Mariner's Landing, Inc. v Director, Div. of Taxation, 11 N.J.Tax 215 (Tax 1989), Judge Rimm concluded, alter examining dictionary definitions of the words “facility” “place” and “amusement,” that “a tax on ‘admission’ to a ‘place of amusement’ is a tax levied on a charge for entering a space devoted to or providing something that amuses or for the use of facilities that amuse or entertain.” Id. at 220.
[Seventeen Thirty Corp v. Director, Div of Taxation, 18 N.J.Tax 108, 182 (Tax 1999).]

The cost of admission to a Nets basketball game is subject to sales tax.

[90]*90Plaintiff argues that the NJSEA 10% impost based on the ticket price qualifies for an exemption from the New Jersey Sales and Use Tax under N.J.S.A. 54:32B-9(a)(1).

Exemptions from taxation are the exception, rather than the rule. New Brunswick v.

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Bluebook (online)
19 N.J. Tax 85, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/meadowlands-basketball-associates-v-director-division-of-taxation-njtaxct-2000.