Authorizing the City Representative, on behalf of The City of Philadelphia, to enter into agreements with the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development and the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, both for purposes of hosting the Army-Navy intercollegiate football game in certain years, under certain terms and conditions.

WHEREAS, The annual Army-Navy intercollegiate football game (“Army-Navy Game”) has become a tradition in Philadelphia, with The City of Philadelphia (“City”) hosting the Army-Navy Game for 82 out of the past 110 years, beginning in 1899; and

WHEREAS, The Army-Navy Game generates a significant benefit to the local Philadelphia economy by filling an estimated 17,000 hotel room nights in the region as well as attracting 50,000 visitors to the City for the weekend; and

WHEREAS, The City and the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (“PCVB”) responded to a request for proposals, issued on August 26, 2008 by the Army Athletic Association (“Army”) and the Naval Academy Athletic Association (“Navy”) to host the Army-Navy Game; and

WHEREAS, For the past two decades, the PCVB has assisted the City to secure the Army-Navy Game, host the game, finance the game, and obtain grants to support the game, making PCVB uniquely qualified to co-host the Army-Navy Game with the City; and

WHEREAS, The Army and Navy accepted the City and PCVB's proposal on June 4, 2009 to play the Army-Navy Game in Philadelphia at Lincoln Financial Field in the years 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2017; now, therefore

THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:

SECTION 1. The City Representative, on behalf of the City, is hereby authorized to enter into an agreement with the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development (“PAID”) for purposes of hosting the Army-Navy Games, which agreement shall be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit “A” hereto, pursuant to which PAID shall enter into a game agreement with the Army, the Navy and the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (the “PCVB”) for the hosting of the Army-Navy Games.

SECTION 2. Council finds that the PCVB has developed important and unique expertise and relationships with the local hospitality industry as well as the Army and Navy football associations, making PCVB particularly well-suited for this responsibility.

SECTION 3. The City Representative, on behalf of the City, is hereby authorized to enter into an agreement with the PCVB for the delineation of responsibilities in hosting the Army-Navy Games, which agreement shall be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit “B” hereto.

SECTION 4. The City Solicitor is hereby authorized to include in said agreements such other terms and conditions as he or she deems necessary or desirable to protect the interests of the City.

SECTION 5. The Chief Clerk of City Council shall keep on file the documents referred to as Exhibit “A” and Exhibit “B” and shall make them available for inspection by the public during regular office hours.

[Note: Exhibits to this Bill are on file in the Office of the Chief Clerk.]

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