A. Creation. The Capitol House Taxing District, a special taxing district and political subdivision of the state, hereinafter referred to as the "district" is hereby created in the parish of East Baton Rouge.
B. The district shall be comprised of the following described parcels or tracts of land located in East Baton Rouge Parish:
That property known as the Capitol House Hotel (including the Heidelberg Hotel) which includes all the land in the block bounded by Lafayette Street, Florida Street, Front Street and Convention Street, except a portion located in that corner of the block bordered by Front Street and Convention Street and being more particularly described as follows:
(1) A CERTAIN PARCEL OF GROUND, together with all the buildings and improvements thereon, situated in that State of Louisiana, parish of East Baton Rouge, City of Baton Rouge, in HICKEY, DUNCAN & MATTER TOWN, in SQUARE 93 or 1, bounded by Lafayette Street, Florida Street, Convention Street and Front Street, and according to a survey by Carey Hodges, Land Surveyor, dated June 8, 1973, revised July 20, 1973, and October 8, 1973, entitled "Survey Map of lot 1 thru 10, Square 93 or 1 "Hickey, Duncan & Matter Town" recorded December 7, 1973 at Original 85, Bundle 8586 official records of the Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana said parcel of ground being more particularly described as follows:
Commencing at the intersection of the south line of Florida Street with the west line of Lafayette Street run thence along the south line of Florida Street towards Front Street a distance of 230 feet to the intersection of the south line of Florida Street with the east line of Front Street; thence in a southerly direction along the east line of Front Street 128.56 feet to a point; thence run in the direction of Lafayette Street along the line dividing lot 2 from lot 3 a distance of 114.0 feet to the corner common to Lots 2, 3, 8 and 9; thence at right angles run towards Convention Street a distance of 58 feet; thence at right angles run toward Lafayette Street a distance of 128 feet; thence at right angles run in a northerly direction towards Florida Street a distance of 184 feet to the point of beginning, being composed of the remaining portions of Lots 1 and 2, all of Lots 9 and 10 and the northerly 54 feet of Lot 8 said square.
(2) A CERTAIN PARCEL OF GROUND, together with all the buildings and improvements thereon, situated in the State of Louisiana, Parish of East Baton Rouge, City of Baton Rouge in HICKEY, DUNCAN & MATTER TOWN, in Square 93 or 1, bounded by Lafayette Street, Florida Street, Convention Street and Front Street, and according to a survey by Cary Hodges, Land Surveyor, dated June 8, 1973, revised July 20, 1973, and October 8, 1973, said parcel of ground is described as follows:
Commencing at the intersection of the north line of Convention Street with the west line of Lafayette Street, run thence along Convention Street 85.33 feet to a point; thence at right angles towards Florida Street run 62 feet to a point; thence at right angles run towards Front Street 42.67 feet to a point; thence at right angles run towards Florida Street 74 feet; thence at right angles run towards Lafayette Street 128 feet; thence at right angles run along the west line of Lafayette Street 138 feet to the point of beginning. Said parcel of ground is composed of part of Lot 6, all of Lot 7 and the Southern 10 feet of Lot 8 of said Square.
And any other property owned by the Granter located in the block bounded by Lafayette Street, Florida Street, Front Street and Convention Street not described in the two (2) parcels above.
C. Purpose. The district is created to provide for cooperative economic development between the city of Baton Rouge, the Capitol House, and the district, in order to provide for the renovation, restoration, and development of the landmark public facility in the city of Baton Rouge which is known as the Capitol House Hotel, all of such property which has been more specifically herein described.
D. Governance. (1) In order to provide for the orderly development of the district and effectuation of the purposes of the district, the district shall be administered and governed by a board of commissioners of three persons comprised as follows:
(a) The mayor-president of East Baton Rouge or his designee.
(b) The executive director of the East Baton Rouge Downtown Development District or his designee.
(c) One member appointed by the city-parish metro council.
(2) A majority of the members of the board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The board shall keep minutes of all meetings and shall make them available for inspection through the board's secretary. The minute books and archives of the district shall be maintained by the board's secretary. The monies, funds, and accounts of the district shall be in the official custody of the board.
(3) The board shall adopt bylaws and prescribe rules to govern its meetings. The members of the board shall serve without salary or per diem and shall be entitled to reimbursement for reasonable, actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.
(4) The domicile of the board shall be established by the board at a location within the district.
(5) The board shall elect from its own members a president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer, whose duties shall be common to such offices or as may be provided by bylaws adopted by the district. At the option of the board or as provided in the bylaws, the offices of secretary and treasurer may be held by one person. The board shall hold regular meetings and may hold special meetings as provided in the bylaws. All such meetings shall be public meetings subject to the provisions of R.S. 42:11 et seq.
E. Rights and powers. The district, acting by and through its board of commissioners, shall have and exercise all powers of a political subdivision and special taxing district necessary or convenient for the carrying out of its objects and purposes including but not limited to the following:
(1) To sue and to be sued.
(2) To adopt bylaws and rules and regulations.
(3) To receive by gift, grant, donation or otherwise any sum of money, property, aid or assistance from the United States, the state of Louisiana, or any political subdivision thereof, or any person, firm, or corporation.
(4) For the public purposes of the district to enter into contracts, agreements or cooperative endeavors with the state and its political subdivisions or political corporations and with any public or private association, corporation, business entity, or individual.
(5) Appoint officers, agents, and employees, prescribe their duties, and fix their compensation.
(6) To acquire by gift, grant, purchase, lease, or otherwise such property as may be necessary or desirable for carrying out the objectives and purposes of the district and to mortgage and sell such property.
(7) In its own name and on its own behalf to incur debt and to issue bonds, notes, certificates and other evidences of indebtedness. For this purpose the district shall be deemed and considered to be an issuer for purposes of R.S. 33:9037 and shall, to the extent not in conflict with this Section, be subject to the provisions of R.S. 33:9037.
(8) Establish such funds or accounts as are necessary for the conduct of the affairs of the district.
F. Tax.(1) In order to provide funds for the purposes of the district, the district, acting by and through its board of commissioners, is hereby authorized to levy and collect a tax upon the occupancy of hotel rooms, motel rooms, and overnight camping facilities within the district. The tax rate for such tax shall be at least equal to the aggregate rate of all such taxes levied and collected within the parish of East Baton Rouge by the state of Louisiana, local governmental subdivisions, and other political subdivisions or special taxing districts.
(2)(a) The word "hotel" as used herein shall mean and include any establishment, both public and private, engaged in the business of furnishing or providing rooms and overnight camping facilities intended or designed for dwelling, lodging, or sleeping purposes to transient guests where such establishment consists of two or more guest rooms and does not encompass any hospital, convalescent, or nursing home or sanitarium, or any hotel-like facility operated by or in connection with a hospital or medical clinic providing rooms exclusively for patients and their families.
(b) The tax shall be paid by the person who exercises or is entitled to occupancy of the hotel room, and shall be paid at the time the rent or fee of occupancy is paid. The word "person" as used herein shall have the same meaning as contained in R.S. 47:301(8).
(c) The hotel shall not advertise room rates to the general public at below market rates.
(3) The tax so authorized shall be imposed by ordinance adopted by the district, acting by and through its board of commissioners, without the need of an election.
(4) It is hereby recognized that without the accomplishment of the purposes of the district that there would be no collection of a hotel occupancy tax by any taxing authority within the district. Accordingly if the district elects to levy and collect the tax authorized in this Subsection, such levy shall be deemed to supersede and be in lieu of any other tax on hotel occupancy within the district except for any such tax which is based on a per head or per person basis.
G. Hotel occupancy tax financing. (1)(a) The district may issue revenue bonds payable from an irrevocable pledge and dedication of up to the full amount of hotel occupancy tax increments, in an amount to be determined by the district, to finance or refinance any project or projects, or parts thereof, which are consistent with the purposes of the district. A hotel occupancy tax increment shall consist of that portion of the hotel occupancy tax revenues collected by the district in an amount determined by the board of commissioners and which is in lieu of other such taxes levied by other taxing authorities.
(b) Dedication of hotel occupancy tax increments to pay the revenue bonds, shall not impair existing obligations of the district and shall not include tax revenues previously dedicated by the district for a special purpose.
(2) The district may pledge the taxes collected under the authority of this Section to any financing of the Capitol House property in furtherance of the purposes of the district. Such financing could include, but shall not be limited to loans, mortgages, the issuance of bonds, or the issuance of certificates of indebtedness.
H. Term. The district shall dissolve and cease to exist one year after the earlier of the date all bonds, notes, and other evidences of indebtedness of the district, including refunding bonds are paid in full as to both principal and interest; however, under no event shall the district have an existence of less than three years.
I. Liberal Construction. This Section, being necessary for the welfare of the city-parish and its residents, shall be liberally construed to effect the purposes thereof.
NOTE: Acts 2002, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 47, §4 made §2 of the Act effective only when the title to the property described in this Section is transferred to the East Baton Rouge City-Parish.
NOTE: Acts 2003, No. 419, §1, repealed Acts 2002, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 47, §4, which made §2 of the Act effective only when the title to the property was transferred to East Baton Rouge Parish.
NOTE: See Acts 2006, No. 850, §3, relative to intent of Act to conform Part III of Chapter 27 of Title 33 with certain La. Supreme Court decisions.