Section 1722-A.2 - Sports, Marketing and Tourism Account.(a) Establishment.--The Sports , Marketing and Tourism Account is established in the Pennsylvania Gaming Economic Development and Tourism Fund as a restricted account. The purpose of the account shall be to attract high-quality, amateur and professional sporting and esports events to this Commonwealth for the purposes of advancing and promoting year-round tourism, economic impact and quality of life through sport and to promote business, tourism and tourism activities within this Commonwealth.(b)Administration and distribution.--The account shall be administered by the department.(c) Duties of department.--The department shall: (1) Issue program guidelines to implement this section.(2) Establish procedures for eligible applicants to apply for financial assistance from the account. Nothing in this article shall be construed to prohibit an eligible applicant from receiving an award for each separate high-quality amateur or professional sporting and esporting event for which the applicant has submitted an application. (3) Determine the form and manner by which an applicant can apply for financial assistance with the department.(4) Award financial assistance to eligible applicants in accordance with this section. The department shall make payments to recipients in accordance with an agreement executed between the recipient and the department.(d) Use of funds.--(1) The department may award financial assistance in the form of a single year or multiyear award for any of the following: (i) The costs relating to the preparations necessary for conducting the event.(ii) The costs of conducting the event at the venue, including costs of an improvement or renovation to an existing facility at the venue. The financial assistance under this section shall be limited to 20% of the total cost of an improvement or renovation to an existing facility, except if the facility is publicly owned.(iii) Promotion, marketing and programming costs associated with the event.(iv) Paid advertising and media buys within this Commonwealth related to the event.(v) Production and technical expenses related to the event.(vi) Site fees and costs, such as labor, rentals, insurance, security and maintenance.(vii) Machinery and equipment purchases associated with the conduct of the event.(viii) Public infrastructure upgrades or public safety improvements that will directly or indirectly benefit the conduct of the event.(ix) Costs related to land acquisition directly related to the conduct of the event. The financial assistance under this section shall be limited to 20% of the total acquisition cost, except if the venue at which the event will be conducted is publicly owned.(x) On-site hospitality during the conduct of the event.(2) The department may use up to $10,000,000 in the form of single or multiyear awards to an eligible applicant for costs related to the preparation necessary for conducting an international sporting event, including costs associated with the event venue, promotion, advertising, site rentals, infrastructure upgrades, on-site hospitality, community engagement programming across this Commonwealth and public safety planning and improvements.(3) The department may use up to $15,000,000 for activities related to a Statewide marketing strategy.(e)Prohibitions.-- (1) Except as provided under paragraph (2), financial assistance awarded under this section may not be used for any of the following:(i) To solicit the relocation of a professional sports franchise located in this Commonwealth.(ii) To construct an arena, stadium, playing field, racetrack, golf course or any other venue or surface upon which the sporting event will take place.(iii) To conduct usual and customary maintenance of the facility or venue where the sporting event will take place.(2) Paragraph (1) shall not prohibit a disbursement from the account for the construction of temporary structures within an arena, stadium or indoor or outdoor venue where the sporting event will be conducted that are necessary for the conduct of an event or temporary maintenance of a facility that is necessary for the preparation for or conduct of an event. Amended by P.L. TBD 2023 No. 34,§ 16, eff. 12/13/2023.Added by P.L. TBD 2022 No. 54, § 25, eff. 7/11/2022.