§ 5-802 — Formation of authority

A. The tourism and sports authority is established. The boundaries of the authority are the boundaries of any county that has a population of more than two million persons.

B. The authority is a corporate and political body and, except as otherwise limited, modified or provided by this chapter, has all of the rights, powers and immunities of municipal corporations, including the power of eminent domain.

C. The board of directors and the authority do not have the power to levy or otherwise impose any tax or assessment, other than charges for the use of facilities owned by the authority. The qualified electors residing in the authority may levy a tax or surcharge for the fiscal needs of the authority as provided by this chapter, but the board of directors has no independent authority to impose or collect a tax or assessment. Subject to that limitation, the authority is considered to be a tax levying public improvement district for the purposes of article XIII, section 7, Constitution of Arizona.

D. The authority is regarded as performing a governmental function in carrying out the purposes of this chapter. The property acquired or constructed by the authority, the activities of the authority in maintaining and caring for the property and the monies derived by the authority from operating the property are exempt from state and local income and property taxation.