House Bill 1821

    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                HB 1821

        By Representatives Hafner, Ogles, Eggelletion, Heyman,
    Kosmas, Rayson, Greenstein, Wise, Fuller, Bradley, Arnall,
    Spratt, Murman, Pruitt, L. Miller, Cosgrove, Boyd, Sembler,
    Gay, Sanderson, Jones, Ritchie, Morroni, Stafford, Farkas,
    Maygarden and K. Smith


  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to collegiate athletics;

  3         directing the University of Miami, the

  4         University of South Florida, Florida State

  5         University, and the University of Florida to

  6         develop and participate in an annual men's

  7         collegiate basketball tournament; providing for

  8         specified legislative review; authorizing the

  9         Legislature to conduct a specified feasibility

10         study; providing an effective date.

11

12         WHEREAS, the State of Florida has four major

13  universities which have successful, major NCAA collegiate

14  basketball programs, and

15         WHEREAS, each of the universities is a member of a

16  different NCAA athletic conference, the University of Miami

17  belonging to the Big East Conference, the University of South

18  Florida belonging to Conference USA, Florida State University

19  belonging to the Atlantic Coast Conference, and the University

20  of Florida belonging to the Southeastern Conference, and

21         WHEREAS, an intrastate tournament between the four

22  universities is a logical concept that would promote economic

23  development, create increased interest in collegiate

24  athletics, and foster university pride, NOW, THEREFORE,

25

26  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

27

28         Section 1.  (1)  The University of Miami, the

29  University of South Florida, Florida State University, and the

30  University of Florida are directed to develop, by July 1,

31  2000, and participate in, an annual men's collegiate

                                  1

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                HB 1821

    123-173-99






  1  basketball tournament. The tournament shall consist of a

  2  two-game series between the four teams and shall be held at

  3  Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.

  4         (2)  The Legislature shall review the economic benefits

  5  of the annual collegiate basketball tournament developed

  6  pursuant to subsection (1) at the end of the tournament's

  7  fifth year and at the end of each 5-year period thereafter.

  8         (3)  In the event that the University of Miami, the

  9  University of South Florida, Florida State University, and the

10  University of Florida fail to develop and agree to participate

11  in the annual men's collegiate basketball tournament described

12  in subsection (1) by July 1, 2000, the Legislature is

13  authorized to examine the feasibility of withholding

14  discretionary funding from each of the four universities until

15  such time as the tournament is developed and agreement to

16  participate in the tournament is reached.

17         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 1999.

18

19            *****************************************

20                          HOUSE SUMMARY

21
      Directs the University of Miami, the University of South
22    Florida, Florida State University, and the University of
      Florida to develop, by July 1, 2000, and participate in,
23    an annual men's collegiate basketball tournament.
      Provides for legislative review of the economic benefits
24    of the tournament.  Authorizes the Legislature to examine
      the feasibility of withholding discretionary funding from
25    each of the four universities in the event the
      universities fail to develop and agree to participate in
26    the annual tournament by July 1, 2000.

27

28

29

30

31

                                  2