§2-6-76. Powers of corporation - Issuance and sale of securities.

(a) The corporation is authorized to issue and sell its interest-bearing or noninterest-bearing securities, in one or more series, not exceeding $6,000,000.00, in aggregate principal amount, to provide funds to be used by the Board of Agriculture and Industries in the construction, acquisition and installation of a market facility and to be used by the Agricultural Center Board in the renovation of the coliseum.

(b) The principal of, premium, if any, and interest on any securities or series of securities of the corporation the proceeds of which are devoted to the construction, acquisition and installation of the market facility shall be payable from and secured by a pledge of all rents, leases, charges or other revenues derived or realized from leases to the public of said market facility after deduction of costs of operation. The principal of, premium, if any, and interest on any securities or series of securities the proceeds of which are devoted to the renovation and repair of the coliseum shall be payable from and secured by a pledge of all rents, leases, or any other revenue derived or realized from the public from operation of the coliseum, after deduction of costs of operation.

To the extent that the sources of revenue described above are insufficient to provide for the payment of the debts of the corporation, the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the corporation's securities may be secured by a pledge of so much as is necessary of the fees, permit fees, license fees, fines and penalties imposed, charged and collected by the Department of Agriculture and Industries and paid into the Agricultural Fund. There is hereby appropriated and set aside in each fiscal year, solely out of the fees, permit fees, license fees, fines and penalties accruing to the Agricultural Fund such amount as, when added to the revenues from operation of the market facility and the coliseum, net of costs of operation, shall be sufficient to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the corporation's securities coming due in said fiscal year. Moneys in the Agricultural Fund which consist of contributions by the federal government or any private agency, appropriations by the Legislature from the General Fund, assessments collected for the promotion of agricultural industries and products as provided in Chapter 8 of Title 2, or any other funds other than funds realized from fees, permits, licenses, fines and penalties, shall not be used or pledged for payment of debt service on the corporation's securities.

(c) Securities of the corporation may be authorized, issued and sold at any time and from time to time, may be in such form and denominations, may be of such tenor, shall be in registered form, may be payable in such installments and at such time or times not exceeding 20 years from their date, may be payable at such place or places, may be redeemable at such times and under such conditions and may bear interest at such rate or rates payable and evidenced in such manner or may be structured to bear no interest or to reflect compound interest, all as shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this article and as may be provided in the proceedings of the board of directors of the corporation whereunder said securities shall be authorized to be issued. Securities of the corporation may be sold at such price or prices and at such time or times as the board of directors of the corporation may consider advantageous, either at public or private sale and by negotiation or by competitive bid; provided, that securities may be sold in a private sale and on negotiated terms only upon a finding by the president that a public sale of the securities is, under the circumstances existing at the time, either impractical or undesirable. Securities of the corporation sold by competitive bid must be sold, whether on sealed bids or at public auction, to the bidder whose bid reflects the lowest net interest cost to the corporation for the securities being sold, computed from their date to their respective maturities; provided, that if no bid acceptable to the corporation is received, it may reject all bids. The corporation may fix the terms and conditions under which each sale of bonds may be held; provided, that such terms and conditions shall not conflict with any of the requirements of this article. The corporation may allow or pay, from the proceeds of sale of its securities, all expenses, premiums, discounts, insurance premiums, letter of credit fees and commissions as the board of directors may deem necessary or advantageous in connection with the authorization, sale and issuance of its securities. All securities issued by the corporation and any interest coupons applicable thereto shall be construed to be negotiable instruments, despite the fact that they are payable solely from a specified source. All securities issued by the corporation shall be solely and exclusively limited obligations of the corporation, payable out of the sources provided in this article, and shall not be obligations or debts of any kind of the state. All securities issued by the corporation shall contain a recital that they are issued pursuant to the provisions of this article, which recital shall be conclusive evidence that the said securities have been duly authorized pursuant to the provisions of this article.

(Acts 1984, No. 84-252, p. 405, §8.)