(a) General powers.--An authority created and continued by this chapter shall exercise the public powers of the Commonwealth as an agency for the purpose, without limitation, by itself or by agreement in cooperation with others, of acquiring, holding, developing, designing, constructing, improving, maintaining, managing, operating, financing, furnishing, fixturing, equipping, repairing, leasing or subleasing, either in the capacity of lessor or lessee or sublessor or sublessee, and owning a convention center or parts of a convention center.
(b) Specific powers.--The authority is granted all powers necessary or convenient for the carrying out of the purposes in subsection (a), including all of the following rights and powers:
(1) To have continuing succession.
(2) To be a party in all courts.
(3) To adopt, use and alter at will a corporate seal.
(4) To acquire by gift or otherwise, purchase, hold, receive, lease, sublease and use any license, franchise or property, real, personal or mixed, tangible or intangible, or any interest in a license, franchise or property, including a convention center or parts of a convention center.
(5) To sell, transfer or dispose of any property or interest in property with adequate and fair consideration.
(6) To acquire, hold, develop, design, construct, improve, maintain, manage, operate, furnish, fixture, equip, repair, own, lease or sublease a convention center or parts of a convention center and to make, enter into and award contracts with any person, association, partnership or corporation for the development, design, financing, construction, improvement, maintenance, operation, management, furnishing, fixturing, equipping and repair of a convention center or parts of a convention center.
(7) To make bylaws for the management and regulation of its affairs and issue rules, regulations and policies in connection with the performance of its functions and duties.
(8) To appoint officers, agents, employees and servants, to prescribe their duties, to fix their compensation and to establish work rules, work assignments and conditions of employment for any officer, agent, employee or servant of the authority.
(9) To fix, alter, charge and collect rentals, admissions, license fees and other charges.
(10) To borrow money for the purpose of paying the costs of any project and to evidence the debt; make and issue negotiable bonds of the authority; secure the payment of the bonds, or any part of the bonds, by pledge or deed of trust of its revenue, rentals, receipts and contract rights; make contracts with the purchasers or holders of bonds or with other obligees of the authority in connection with any bonds, whether issued or to be issued, as the authority deems advisable; obtain credit enhancement or liquidity facilities in connection with any bonds as the authority determines to be advantageous; and, in general, provide for the security for bonds and the rights of the holders of bonds.
(11) To make, enter into and award contracts to execute all instruments necessary or convenient for the carrying out of its business.
(12) To borrow money and accept grants and to enter into contracts, leases, subleases, licenses or other transactions with any Federal agency, State public body, political subdivision, person, association, partnership or corporation.
(13) To have the power of eminent domain within a city of the first class. Any condemnation by the authority shall be in the manner provided by the act of June 22, 1964 (Sp.Sess., P.L.84, No.6), known as the Eminent Domain Code.
(14) To pledge, hypothecate or otherwise encumber any of its property, real, personal or mixed, tangible or intangible, and its revenue or receipts, including any interest the authority may have in any lease or sublease of a convention center or parts of a convention center.
(15) To procure insurance containing coverages, including, without limitation, insurance covering the timely payment in full of principal of and interest on bonds of the authority, in amounts and from insurers as the authority may determine to be necessary or desirable for its purposes.
(16) To invest its money.
(17) To cooperate with any Federal agency, State public body or political subdivision.
(18) To invest any funds held in reserve or sinking funds or any funds not required for immediate disbursements, as authorized by section 6012(d)(relating to moneys of authority).
(19) To appoint all officers, agents and employees required for the performance of its duties and fix and determine their qualifications, duties and compensation and retain or employ other agents or consultants, including architects, auditors, engineers, private counsel and private consultants, on a contract basis or otherwise for rendering professional or technical services and advice.
(20) To enroll or to continue to enroll its employees in an existing retirement system of the Commonwealth.
(21) To appoint and fix the compensation of chief counsel and assistant counsel to provide it with legal assistance, for which purpose the authority shall not be considered either an executive agency or an independent agency for the purpose of the act of October 15, 1980 (P.L.950, No.164), known as the Commonwealth Attorneys Act, but shall possess the same status for such purpose as the Auditor General, State Treasurer and the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, except that the provisions of section 204(b) and (f) of the Commonwealth Attorneys Act shall not apply to the authority, and, notwithstanding the provisions of 42 Pa.C.S. § 8525 (relating to legal assistance), the authority through its counsel shall defend actions brought against the authority and its officers and employees when acting within the scope of their official duties.
(22) To maintain an office in a city.
(23) To appoint an executive director who shall:
(i) be the chief executive officer of the authority;
(ii) devote full time during business hours to the duties of office; and
(iii) receive compensation as the board determines.
(24) To contract with an association with experience in managing convention centers for the management of the convention center.
(25) To do all acts and things necessary or convenient for the promotion of its purposes and the general welfare of the authority and to carry out the powers granted to it by this chapter or any other acts.
(c) Limitation.--The authority shall have no power to pledge the credit or taxing powers of the Commonwealth, a political subdivision or a city, nor shall any of its obligations be deemed obligations of the Commonwealth, a political subdivision or a city, nor shall the Commonwealth, a political subdivision or a city be liable for the payment of principal or interest on the obligations.
(d) Affirmative action.--The authority shall develop and implement an affirmative action plan to assure that all persons are accorded equality of opportunity in employment and contracting by the authority, its contractors, subcontractors, assignees, lessees, agents, vendors and suppliers.