AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF IMPROVEMENTS TO THE JOHN A. RYAN ICE SKATING ARENA IN THE TOWN OF WATERTOWN.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary, the town of Watertown is hereby authorized to enter into an agreement with Bentley College, on such terms and conditions as it shall deem to be in the best interests of the town, whereby Bentley College shall construct, at its sole expense, certain improvements to the John A. Ryan ice skating arena owned by the town, including, as a minimum, two locker room facilities, one to be designated for the private use of the town of Watertown, the other to be designated for the private use of the Bentley College hockey team, in exchange for which the town of Watertown shall enter into successive five-year fixed-price agreements with Bentley College for exclusive ice time for practice and the playing of the intercollegiate hockey games of the Bentley College hockey team, subject to the conditions stated in this act, and such additional terms and conditions as the town manager of the town of Watertown shall deem to be in the best interests of the town. The private use of one of the locker room facilities by Bentley College shall continue for as long as Bentley College shall sponsor a collegiate hockey team. The successive five-year agreements for exclusive ice time for practice and intercollegiate hockey games shall be based upon an hourly rental rate which shall be discounted by not more than 10 per cent from the standard published hourly rental fee for such time in each year of the agreement. Such discounted rental rates shall continue until the total savings realized by Bentley College as a result of the discounted rental fees equals the total initial expenditure of Bentley College for the construction of the improvements authorized by this act. Thereafter, any subsequent agreements for the exclusive use of ice time shall be at the then prevailing rate for such use.
SECTION 2. The design and construction of the improvements described in section 1 to be performed by Bentley College shall be subject to the approval of the town of Watertown and shall be exempt from the provisions of the General Laws related to the construction of additions to public buildings, including, but not limited to, sections 38A$#189; to 38O, inclusive, of chapter 7, sections 44A to 44H, inclusive, of chapter 149, but not including the provisions of sections 26 to 27H, inclusive, of chapter 149 of the General Laws. No public funds of the town of Watertown shall be expended for the design or construction of the said improvements.
SECTION 3. Prior to the initiation of any construction pursuant to this act, Bentley College shall provide the town of Watertown with a performance and payment bond in the amount of 100 per cent of the value of the improvements to be constructed and with certificates of insurance indicating the existence of such coverages as the town manager shall determine to be in the best interests of said town.
SECTION 4. All facilities constructed pursuant to this act shall become and shall remain the property of the town of Watertown upon acceptance by the town manager. At the termination of the use of the John A. Ryan ice skating arena by Bentley College pursuant to the authority provided by this act, Bentley College shall surrender possession of the locker room designated for its private use, in such condition as such improvement shall be constructed pursuant hereto, ordinary wear and tear excluded.
SECTION 5. This act shall take effect upon its passage.