P.R. Laws tit. 23, § 6401
The following words and terms when used or referred to in this chapter, shall have the meaning indicated below unless the context requires otherwise:
(a) Article[s]. — Shall mean any object, artifact, goods or thing, introduced, sold, consumed, used, transferred or acquired in Puerto Rico, which is taxed pursuant to the provisions of §§ 9001 et seq. of Title 13, known as the “Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Code of 1994”.
(b) Authority. — Shall mean the Puerto Rico Convention Center District Authority created pursuant to this chapter.
(c) Bond[s]. — Shall mean any bond, note, or other evidence of indebtedness issued or contracted by the Authority under the provisions of, and pursuant to this chapter.
(d) Charge[s] for benefits. — Shall mean the fees that will be imposed by the Authority under § 6432 of this title.
(e) Center. — Shall mean the Puerto Rico Convention Center to be developed and operated in the real property owned or leased by the Authority, or by the persons or entities designated thereby, and which shall be suitable for the following purposes and events: congresses, conventions, conferences, trade fairs, exhibitions, meetings, and other business, entertainment, social, cultural, historic, scientific and public interest events. The term “Center” shall [also] include all the facilities, furnishings, fixtures and equipment necessary or incidental thereto, including, but not limited to meeting rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, ballrooms, reception and registration areas, and foyers for functions; loading areas for trucks (including access to said areas), access ways, common areas, lobbies, offices, restaurants, and other facilities for the sale of food, beverages, publications, souvenirs, novelties, office services and other convenience services, and any areas and facilities appurtenant thereto; also including, but not limited to, other buildings, structures, or facilities to be used along with the above; parking facilities, streets, highways, pedestrian accesses, canals, fountains, public services; aqueduct, sewer, gas, electric and other utility services; security guard facilities; landscaping, infrastructure, storage facilities, hotels or other lodgings, or retail sales areas, and other improvements related to the Center that are owned or rented by or to the Authority for the convenience of the users thereof, and to produce revenues that will help defray any cost or expense related to the Center.
(f) Internal Revenue Code of 1994. — Shall mean §§ 8006 et seq. of Title 13, known as the “Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Code of 1994”.
(g) Costs. — Shall mean the pre-construction and construction costs; cost of acquisition of all land, structures, rights of way, franchises, easements, and other proprietary rights and interests; cost of demolition, removal or relocation of any building or structure on the acquired land, including the cost for the acquisition of any property to which said buildings or structures may be transferred or relocated; cost of all labor, materials, machinery, equipment, personal and real property according to its use; financing fees and interest on all bonds prior to and during the construction and for such period as the Authority may reasonably determine is necessary to put the Center or any part thereof into operation; or improvement projects, projects on private parcels or the District; cost of engineering, financial, and legal advisors; blueprints, specifications, studies, measurements, costs and income estimates, and any other expenditures necessary or incidental to the determination of feasibility and desirability to build the Center, or any expansion thereto, improvement projects and projects in private parcels; fees for issuing letters of credit, bond guarantees, debt or insurance service for debt service reserves, bonds, or other similar instruments that increase credit capacity; administrative expenses, provision for working capital; reserves for the principal and the interest and for extensions, expansions, additions and improvements; any other expenses necessary or incidental to the development, the construction of the Center, or any expansion thereof, or of the improvement projects, and projects on private parcels, or the financing of construction, and to put the Center and said projects into operation; the cost of creating and maintaining a reserve account for operating expenses and any other costs the Authority may deem appropriate for its corporate purposes and for complying with its corporate powers.
(h) District. — Shall mean the Puerto Rico Convention Center established in § 6402 of this title.
(i) Convention Center Fund. — Shall mean the fund created as provided in § 6467 of this title that shall be used by the Authority at its absolute discretion, pursuant to this chapter.
(j) Government of Puerto Rico. — Shall mean the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
(k) Occupancy tax revenues. — Shall mean all revenues and funds, plus any related interest and penalties thereon, collected through the room occupancy tax, pursuant to Section 2051 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1994, that is deposited in a special account or other account to be used by the Authority for the benefit of the Center, pursuant to § 9084 of Title 13.
(l) Board. — Shall mean the Board of Directors of the Authority.
(m) Authority Act. — Shall mean the Puerto Rico Convention Center District Authority Act, §§ 6401 et seq. of this title.
(n) Bureau. — Shall mean the Puerto Rico Convention Bureau, the principal nonprofit organization devoted to the promotion of Puerto Rico as a destination for holding meetings and conventions.
(ñ) Private parcel[s]. — Shall mean any portion of the District designated by the Authority as a private parcel, that is sold, leased, subleased or otherwise transferred by the Authority to third parties for its development, construction, operation or administration, whether as a hotel, building or retail sales facility, office buildings or facilities, attractions, tourist, marine, recreational or entertainment facilities, restaurants, residences or any other use that is in accord with the purposes of this chapter or the purposes of the District, and that shall benefit from the Center, from the improvement projects and from other projects in private parcels.
(o) Improvement project[s]. — Shall mean any proposed development, improvement, infrastructure, facility, work, enterprise or service provided, constructed, operated, or maintained by the Authority or by third parties for the Authority or for the benefit of the District, the cost of which shall be financed by the Authority pursuant to the mechanisms provided in this chapter.
An improvement project may include without being limited to, marine facilities, hotels, retail sales facilities and buildings, office facilities and buildings, tourist facilities, aqueduct, sewer, gas, electric power and other utilities, recreational facilities and other attractions, port facilities, highways, parking lots, canals, fountains, security facilities, landscaping, transportation facilities and equipment, public areas, educational facilities, restaurants, entertainment facilities, telecommunication facilities, security systems and any related services provided by the Authority or by third parties in benefit of the Authority and the District. The improvement projects shall comply with all applicable laws, regulations and ordinances of the Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the municipalities, including, but without being limited to those related to land use, and the protection of the environment, except for any provision in this chapter to the contrary. The improvement projects may be located within or outside the District; Provided, That in the event the improvement is located outside the District, the owner of the real property where it will be located must give his/her consent for it to be executed on his/her property.
History —Sept. 2, 2000, No. 351, § 1.03; Oct. 4, 2001, No. 142, § 3; renumbered as § 103(b) and amended on Sept. 21, 2004, No. 394, § 2.