The Florida Senate

550.2704  Jai Alai Tournament of Champions Meet.--

(1)  Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter, there is hereby created a special jai alai meet which shall be designated as the "Jai Alai Tournament of Champions Meet" and which shall be hosted by the Florida jai alai permitholders selected by the National Association of Jai Alai Frontons, Inc., to conduct such meet. The meet shall consist of three qualifying performances and a final performance, each of which is to be conducted on different days. Upon the selection of the Florida permitholders for the meet, and upon application by the selected permitholders, the Division of Pari-mutuel Wagering shall issue a license to each of the selected permitholders to operate the meet. The meet may be conducted during a season in which the permitholders selected to conduct the meet are not otherwise authorized to conduct a meet. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, any Florida permitholder who is to conduct a performance which is a part of the Jai Alai Tournament of Champions Meet shall not be required to apply for the license for said meet if it is to be run during the regular season for which such permitholder has a license.

(2)  Qualifying performances and the final performance of the tournament shall be held at different locations throughout the state, and the permitholders selected shall be under different ownership to the extent possible.

(3)  Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter, each of the permitholders licensed to conduct performances comprising the Jai Alai Tournament of Champions Meet shall pay no taxes on handle under s. 550.0951 or s. 550.09511 for any performance conducted by such permitholder as part of the Jai Alai Tournament of Champions Meet. The provisions of this subsection shall apply to a maximum of four performances.

(4)  The Jai Alai Tournament of Champions Meet permitholders shall also receive a credit against the taxes, otherwise due and payable under s. 550.0951 or s. 550.09511, generated during said permitholders' current regular meet. This credit shall be in the aggregate amount of $150,000, shall be prorated equally between the permitholders, and shall be utilized by the permitholders solely to supplement awards for the performance conducted during the Jai Alai Tournament of Champions Meet. All awards shall be paid to the tournament's participating players no later than 30 days following the conclusion of said Jai Alai Tournament of Champions Meet.

(5)  In addition to the credit authorized in subsection (4), the Jai Alai Tournament of Champions Meet permitholders shall receive a credit against the taxes, otherwise due and payable under s. 550.0951 or s. 550.09511, generated during said permitholders' current regular meet, in an amount not to exceed the aggregate amount of $150,000, which shall be prorated equally between the permitholders, and shall be utilized by the permitholders for such capital improvements and extraordinary expenses, including marketing expenses, as may be necessary for the operation of the meet. The determination of the amount to be credited shall be made by the division upon application of said permitholders.

(6)  The permitholder shall be entitled to said permitholder's pro rata share of the $150,000 tax credit provided in subsection (5) without having to make application, so long as appropriate documentation to substantiate said expenditures thereunder is provided to the division within 30 days following said Jai Alai Tournament of Champions Meet.

(7)  No Jai Alai Tournament of Champions Meet shall exceed 4 days in any state fiscal year, and no more than one performance shall be conducted on any one day of the meet. There shall be only one Jai Alai Tournament of Champions Meet in any state fiscal year.

(8)  The division is authorized to adopt such rules as are necessary to facilitate the conduct of the Jai Alai Tournament of Champions Meet as authorized in this section. Included within this grant of authority shall be the adoption of rules regarding the overall conduct of the tournament so as to ensure the integrity of the event, licensing for participants, commingling of pari-mutuel pools, and audit requirements for tax credits and exemptions.

(9)  The provisions of this section shall prevail over any conflicting provisions of this chapter.

History.--s. 4, ch. 94-328.