Section 12-3-524. General powers

   The authority is authorized:

   (1) To have a seal and alter it at pleasure;

   (2) To acquire, hold, and dispose of personal property for its corporate purposes;

   (3) To appoint, select, and employ officers, agents, and employees, including engineering, architectural, and construction experts and fiscal agents; to contract for the services of individuals or organizations not employed full time by the authority who or which are engaged primarily in the rendition of personal services rather than the sale of goods or merchandise, such as, but not limited to, the services of accountants, engineers, architects, consultants, and advisers, and to allow suitable compensation for such services; including the power to contract with the Department of Economic Development or any other department for professional, technical, clerical, and administrative support as may be required and to make provisions for group insurance, retirement, or other employee benefit arrangements, provided that no part-time or contract employees shall participate in group insurance or retirement benefits;

   (4) To make contracts and to execute all instruments necessary or convenient, including contracts for construction of projects or contracts with respect to the leasing or use of projects which the authority causes to be subdivided, erected, or acquired;

   (5) To plan, survey, subdivide, administer, construct, erect, acquire, own, repair, remodel, maintain, add to, extend, improve, equip, operate, and manage projects as defined in this part, such projects to be located on property owned or leased by the authority or the State of Georgia or under the control and management of the authority. The cost of any such project shall be paid from its income, from the proceeds of revenue anticipation certificates of the authority, or from such proceeds and any loan, gift, or grant from the United States of America or any agency or instrumentality thereof, or the State of Georgia, or any county, municipal corporation, authority, or local government or governing body;

   (6) To accept loans or grants, or both, of money, materials, or property of any kind from the United States of America or any agency or instrumentality thereof upon such terms and conditions as the United States of America or such agency or instrumentality may impose;

   (7) To borrow money for any of its corporate purposes, to issue negotiable revenue anticipation certificates from earnings of such projects, and to provide for the payment of the same and for the rights of the holders thereof;

   (8) To exercise any power which is usually possessed by private corporations performing similar functions and which is not in conflict with the Constitution and laws of this state;

   (9) To act as agent for the United States of America or any agency, department, corporation, or instrumentality thereof in any manner within the purposes or powers of the authority;

   (10) To adopt, alter, or repeal its own bylaws, rules, and regulations governing the manner in which its business may be transacted and in which the power granted to it may be enjoyed as the authority may deem necessary or expedient in facilitating its business;

   (11) To receive and accept loans, gifts, grants, donations, or contributions of property, facilities, or services, with or without consideration, from any person, firm, or corporation or from the State of Georgia or any agency or instrumentality thereof or from any county, municipal corporation, or local government or governing body;

   (12) To hold, use, administer, and expend such sum or sums as may hereafter be received as income, as gifts, or as appropriations by authority of the General Assembly for any of the purposes of this authority;

   (13) To do all things necessary or convenient to carry out the powers and purposes of the authority;

   (14) To acquire, lease (as lessee), purchase, hold, own, and use any franchise or any property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, or any interest therein; and to sell, lease (as lessor), transfer, or dispose thereof whenever the same is no longer required for purposes of the authority or exchange the same for other property or rights which are useful for the purposes of the authority;

   (15) To fix, alter, charge, and collect fares, rates, rentals, and other charges for its facilities and for admission to its grounds at reasonable rates to be determined by the authority;

   (16) To contract with the Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission for the construction of the project as provided for in Article 2 of Chapter 17 of Title 50; or to contract with other authorities, departments, or agencies of the State of Georgia for the construction of the project;

   (17) To invest and reinvest any or all idle funds or moneys, including, but not limited to, funds held in reserve or debt retirement or received through the issuance of revenue certificates or from contributions, gifts, or grants, which cannot be immediately used for the purpose for which received, such investment to be made in any security or securities which are legal investments for executors or trustees; provided, however, that investments in such securities will at all times be held for and, when sold, used for the purposes for which the money was originally received;

   (18) To grant, on an exclusive or nonexclusive basis, the right to use and occupy streets, roads, sidewalks, and other public places for the purpose of rendering utility services, upon such conditions and for such time as the authority may deem wise;

   (19) To appoint special advisory committees and panels of citizens to advise the authority of certain issues and to reimburse the individuals appointed for actual expenses incurred in performing their tasks;

   (20) To select a site for the building of a state music hall of fame;

   (21) To sell, upon obtaining a license from the Department of Revenue, alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises only upon property operated and controlled by the authority;

   (22) To incorporate one or more nonprofit corporations as subsidiary corporations of the authority for the purpose of carrying out any of the powers of the authority and to accomplish any of the purposes of the authority. Any subsidiary corporations created pursuant to this power shall be created pursuant to Chapter 3 of Title 14, the "Georgia Nonprofit Corporation Code," and the Secretary of State shall be authorized to accept such filings. Upon dissolution of any subsidiary corporation of the authority, any assets shall revert to the authority or to any successor to the authority or, failing such succession, to the State of Georgia. The authority shall not be liable for the debts or obligations or bonds of any subsidiary corporation or for the actions or omissions to act of any subsidiary corporation unless the authority expressly so consents; and

   (23) The authority shall have the power to contract with the Department of Economic Development or any other department for any purpose necessary or incidental to carrying out or performing the duties, responsibilities, or functions of the authority in exercising the power and management of the authority; provided, however, that such contracts shall not delegate the authorization of the issuance of any bonds or other indebtedness of the authority. No part of the funds or assets of the authority shall be distributed to the Department of Economic Development or any other department, authority, or agency of the state unless otherwise provided by law, except that the authority shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to reimburse expenses incurred and except as may be deemed necessary or desirable by the authority to fulfill the purposes of the authority as set forth in this part. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as precluding the provision, by the Department of Economic Development, any other department, authority, or agency of the state, or the authority, of joint or complementary services or programs within the scope of their respective powers.

Code 1981, § 12-3-524, enacted by Ga. L. 1990, p. 1062, § 1; Ga. L. 1994, p. 493, § 1; Ga. L. 1998, p. 1386, § 2; Ga. L. 2005, p. 306, §§ 10, 11/SB 125.