WHEREAS, pursuant to an Ordinance approved by the Mayor on June 25, 1965, the Director of Commerce was authorized to enter into an agreement (the "Agreement"), on behalf of the City of Philadelphia (the "City"), with the Philadelphia Convention and Tourist Bureau (currently known as the "Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau") designating the Bureau as the agency authorized to receive grants from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Commerce for tourism under the Act of April 28, 1961, P.L. 111, known as the Tourist Promotion Law;
WHEREAS, the City desires to re-confirm that the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (the "Bureau") is designated by the City as the agency authorized to receive grants from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Commerce for tourism under the Tourist Promotion Law;
WHEREAS, the Agreement approved by Council requires, among other things, that the Bureau continue to operate and maintain the Visitor's Hospitality Center at Fifteenth Street and John F. Kennedy Boulevard in Philadelphia;
WHEREAS, a new Independence Visitors Center is being constructed at Independence National Historic Park in Philadelphia, and the Bureau plans to partially fund the Independence Visitors Center using Bureau funds;
WHEREAS, the City no longer desires that the Bureau continue to operate and maintain the Visitor's Hospitality Center located at Fifteenth Street and John F. Kennedy Boulevard because the functions of that Center will be performed at the Independence Visitors Center being constructed at Independence National Historic Park;
WHEREAS, the Agreement requires, among other things, that the Bureau maintain a Visitor Information Service at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania;
WHEREAS, the City no longer desires that the Bureau maintain a Visitor Information Service at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, because the operation of the Visitor Information Service was taken over by the federal government in connection with the country's bicentennial celebration;
WHEREAS, the Agreement required, among other things, that the Bureau endeavor to set up a visitor information service at Independence Hall in Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, the City desires that the Bureau provide assistance to the new visitor information service at Independence National Historic Park in Philadelphia, instead of establishing a visitor information center at Independence Hall.
NOW, THEREFORE,
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION 1. The Director of Commerce is authorized to enter into an agreement, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, with the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau amending the Agreement authorized by the Ordinance approved by the Mayor on June 25, 1965, for the following purposes:
(a) Stating that the City no longer requires that the Bureau continue to operate and maintain the Visitor's Hospitality Center at 15th and John F. Kennedy Boulevard;
(b) Stating that the City no longer requires that the Bureau maintain a Visitor Information Service at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania;
(c) Stating that the City desires that the Bureau provide assistance to the new visitor information service at Independence National Historic Park in Philadelphia, instead of establishing a visitor information center at Independence Hall; and
(d) Stating that all other provisions of the Agreement shall remain in effect, except such other changes as the City Solicitor deems necessary and proper to protect the best interests of the City.
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