STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
3096
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 27, 2023
___________
Introduced by Sen. BRISPORT -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Local Government
AN ACT to amend the general municipal law, in relation to the ownership
of a professional sports team by a local or state government
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The general municipal law is amended by adding a new
2 section 26 to read as follows:
3 § 26. Ownership in a professional sports team by a local or state
4 government. 1. (a) As used in this section the term "facility" means:
5 (i) stadiums, arenas or other structures for the holding of athletic
6 contests and other events and gatherings, including, without limitation,
7 baseball, football and automobile racing; musical, dramatic and other
8 artistic, cultural or social events, public meetings; and
9 (ii) other public events and practice fields, or other areas where
10 professional sports teams and other sports teams may practice or
11 perform.
12 (b) "Facility" shall also mean and include the following types of
13 property if that property is related to or located near an item listed
14 in paragraph (a) of this subdivision:
15 (i) offices, parking lots and garages, access roads, streets, inter-
16 sections, highway interchanges, pedestrian walkways, tunnels, and bridg-
17 es, transportation facilities, monuments, restaurants, stores, and other
18 facilities providing goods and services to persons attending meetings,
19 contests, gatherings or events at the facility;
20 (ii) other recreation areas and recreational facilities;
21 (iii) other property or structures including all fixtures,
22 furnishings, and appurtenances normally associated with such facilities;
23 and
24 (iv) landscaping, parks, and open spaces.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03070-01-3
S. 3096 2
1 2. An owner of a professional sports team that for most of its home
2 games uses a facility that is (a) owned by a unit of local government;
3 or (b) supported by a unit of local government with taxes or tax
4 reductions shall not cease playing most of its home games at the facili-
5 ty and begin playing most of its home games elsewhere unless the owner:
6 (i) enters into an agreement with the unit of local government that
7 owns the facility or supports the facility with taxes or tax reductions
8 permitting the team to play most of its home games elsewhere; or
9 (ii) gives the unit of local government that owns the facility or
10 supports the facility with taxes or tax reductions in which the facility
11 is located not less than six months' advance notice of the owner's
12 intention to cease playing most of its home games at the facility and,
13 during the six months after such notice, gives:
14 (A) the unit of local government the opportunity to purchase more than
15 fifty percent ownership in the professional sports team;
16 (B) the unit of local government first refusal to purchase the profes-
17 sional sports team; or
18 (C) an individual or group of individuals who reside in the area of
19 the facility the opportunity to purchase the team.
20 3. Any new stadium that receives fifty-one percent or more of its
21 financing from public money shall offer local and state government the
22 opportunity to purchase more than fifty percent ownership in the profes-
23 sional sports team.
24 § 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
25 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
26 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of
27 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed
28 on or before such effective date.
