                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

SHORT TITLE; DECLARATION OF PUBLIC PURPOSE; AUTHORITY CREATED (§ 2.2-2315)

A. This article shall be known and may be cited as the Virginia Tourism
Authority Act.

B. The General Assembly finds and declares that:

   1. There exists in all geographical regions of the Commonwealth a plethora of
   tourist attractions, including cultural, historical, commercial, educational,
   and recreational activities, locations, and sources of entertainment;

   2. Such tourist attractions are of potential interest to millions of people
   who reside both in and outside the Commonwealth;

   3. Promotion of tourism in the Commonwealth is necessary to increase the
   prosperity of the people of the Commonwealth;

   4. A state tourism development authority is therefore necessary to stimulate
   the tourism segment of the economy by promoting, advertising, and marketing
   the Commonwealth&#8217;s many tourist attractions and by coordinating other
   private and public efforts to do the same; and

   5. The film industry is a legitimate and important part of economic
   development in the Commonwealth.
   				The General Assembly determines that the creation of an authority for this
   purpose is in the public interest, serves a public purpose and will promote
   the health, safety, welfare, convenience or prosperity of the people of the
   Commonwealth.

C. The Virginia Tourism Authority is created, with the duties and powers set
forth in this article, as a public body corporate and as a political subdivision
of the Commonwealth. The Authority is constituted a public instrumentality
exercising public and essential governmental functions, and the exercise by the
Authority of the duties and powers conferred by this article shall be deemed and
held to be the performance of an essential governmental function of the
Commonwealth. The exercise of the powers granted by this article shall be in all
respects for the benefit of the inhabitants of the Commonwealth and the increase
of their commerce and prosperity. The Authority may do business as the
&#8220;Virginia Tourism Corporation,&#8221; and any references in the Code of
Virginia or in any regulations adopted thereunder that refer to the Virginia
Tourism Corporation shall, whenever necessary, be deemed to refer to the
Authority.

HISTORY: 1999, cc. 852, 881, §§ 2.1-548.53, 2.1-548.54, 2.1-548.56; 2001, c.
844.