Section 122.121 | Site selection for major sporting event.
(A) If a local organizing committee, endorsing municipality, or endorsing county enters into a joinder undertaking with a site selection organization, the local organizing committee, endorsing municipality, or endorsing county may apply to the director of development services, on a form and in the manner prescribed by the director, for a grant based on the projected incremental increase in the receipts from the tax imposed under section 5739.02 of the Revised Code within the market area designated under division (C) of this section, for the two-week period that ends at the end of the day after the date on which a game will be held, that is directly attributable, as determined by the director, to the preparation for and presentation of the game. The director shall determine the projected incremental increase in the tax imposed under section 5739.02 of the Revised Code by using a formula approved by the destination marketing association international for event impact or another formula of similar purpose approved by the director. The local organizing committee, endorsing municipality, or endorsing county is eligible to receive a grant under this section only if the projected incremental increase in receipts from the tax imposed under section 5739.02 of the Revised Code, as determined by the director, exceeds two hundred fifty thousand dollars. The amount of the grant shall be not less than fifty per cent of the projected incremental increase in receipts, as determined by the director, but shall not exceed five hundred thousand dollars. The director shall not issue grants with a total value of more than one million dollars in any fiscal year, and shall not issue any grant before July 1, 2013.
(B) If the director of development services approves an application for a local organizing committee, endorsing municipality, or endorsing county and that local organizing committee, endorsing municipality, or endorsing county enters into a joinder agreement with a site selection organization, the local organizing committee, endorsing municipality, or endorsing county shall file a copy of the joinder agreement with the director. The grant shall be used exclusively by the local organizing committee, endorsing municipality, or endorsing county to fulfill a portion of its obligations to a site selection organization under game support contracts, which obligations may include the payment of costs relating to the preparations necessary for the conduct of the game, including acquiring, renovating, or constructing facilities; to pay the costs of conducting the game; and to assist the local organizing committee, endorsing municipality, or endorsing county in providing assurances required by a site selection organization sponsoring one or more games.
(C) For the purposes of division (A) of this section, the director of development services, in consultation with the tax commissioner, shall designate the market area for a game. The market area shall consist of the combined statistical area, as defined by the United States office of management and budget, in which an endorsing municipality or endorsing county is located.
(D) A local organizing committee, endorsing municipality, or endorsing county shall provide information required by the director of development services and tax commissioner to enable the director and commissioner to fulfill their duties under this section, including annual audited statements of any financial records required by a site selection organization and data obtained by the local organizing committee, endorsing municipality, or endorsing county relating to attendance at a game and to the economic impact of the game. A local organizing committee, an endorsing municipality, or an endorsing county shall provide an annual audited financial statement if so required by the director and commissioner, not later than the end of the fourth month after the date the period covered by the financial statement ends.
(E) Within thirty days after the game, the local organizing committee, endorsing municipality, or endorsing county shall report to the director of development services about the economic impact of the game. The report shall be in the form and substance required by the director, including, but not limited to, a final income statement for the event showing total revenue and expenditures and revenue and expenditures in the market area for the game, and ticket sales for the game and any related activities for which admission was charged. The director shall determine, based on the reported information and the exercise of reasonable judgment, the incremental increase in receipts from the tax imposed under section 5739.02 of the Revised Code directly attributable to the game. If the actual incremental increase in such receipts is less than the projected incremental increase in receipts, the director may require the local organizing committee, endorsing municipality, or endorsing county to refund to the state all or a portion of the grant.
(F) No disbursement may be made under this section if the director of development services determines that it would be used for the purpose of soliciting the relocation of a professional sports franchise located in this state.
(G) This section may not be construed as creating or requiring a state guarantee of obligations imposed on an endorsing municipality or endorsing county under a game support contract or any other agreement relating to hosting one or more games in this state.
Available Versions of this Section
- September 15, 2014 – House Bill 483 - 130th General Assembly [ View September 15, 2014 Version ]
- March 20, 2019 – Amended by House Bill 531 - 132nd General Assembly [ View March 20, 2019 Version ]
- October 17, 2019 – Amended by House Bill 166 - 133rd General Assembly [ View October 17, 2019 Version ]