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July 28, 2003 Page 215 the residents of the City of Concord, has an obligation to the citizens and taxpayers of the City to have direct responsibility for the use of the City owned property and payment of City debt obligations. Concord is willing to participate in an Authority to be described in an interlocal agreement by both the City and County governing boards with the understanding this will be formalized through the modification of the legislation for the "hotel occupancy tax" during the 2004 session of the General Assembly. As such, Concord seeks the following: 1. No further delay and the immediate adoption of the increase of the "hotel occupancy tax" so the amount of the money generated can be accruing for debt service payments while the interlocal agreement is being completed. 2. Equal representation on the Authority on the number of appointees of the City Council of Concord and the Cabarrus County Commission. 3. The clear understanding that the City of Concord can complete the negotiation and contracting with John Q. Hammons Hotels without further delay with the agreement that the amount of funding needed for one-half of the debt service will be available to the City once payments begin. 4. The role of the Authority as "landlord" be strictly limited to the oversight and coordination of marketing efforts related to tourism in Cabarrus County, including the Convention Center and Arena and Events Center; giving advise, counsel and assistance regarding the operation of the Convention Center; and as property manager to coordinate the City's long-term maintenance responsibilities for the Convention Center (provided that any expenditures for said maintenance responsibilities will come out of the escrow fund designated for this purpose as defined in the interlocal agreement). The Authority shall not be authorized to make any decision legally binding on the City or incur any debt on behalf of the City. The following proposal prepared by Commissioner Carruth concerning Authority appointments was distributed. Appointments to the Cabarrus County Tourism Authority will be as follows: (a) Four members will be appointed by the Board of County Commissioners, and will include one county commissioner, as well as two representatives residing in two of the four remaining municipalities locally principally in Cabarrus County, appointed no a rotating basis: Kannapolis, Harrisburg, Mt. Pleasant and Midland. One of the appointments shall be associated with the hospitality/tourism industry. (b) Four members will be appointed by the city council of Concord, and will include one city councilperson. One of the appointments shall be associated with the hospitality/tourism industry. (c) One member will be appointed jointly by the Board of County Commissioners and the Concord City Council, based upon recommendations provided by the Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce. The individual appointed shall be associated with the hospitality/tourism industry. There was discussion regarding the role of the proposed Authority and its membership. Issues addressed included whether all members of the Authority should be elected officials and the need for representatives from the hospitality/tourism industry on the Authority. Board members described the Authority as an "oversight" committee for the Cabarrus Arena and Events Center, Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Convention Center. Commissioner Privette presented a prepared statement on the proposed convention center. He addressed the following issues: (1) Unfairness to the 27 motels in Cabarrus County to collect a hotel/motel tax to build a convention center for a competitor (John Q. Hammons); (2) Comparison of