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Legal Issues Concerning Sports Venue Operations after the Games

The way Beijing hosted the 29th Olympic Games won applause from around the world. Now that the Games have closed, the Beijing Municipal Government and those who control or who have a stake in the sports venues must begin focusing on the operation of these facilities to ensure that full use is made of them and that socio-economic goals involving them are met. 

1. Operational Forms of Sports Venues

The operational components include sports competitions, sports training, public fitness and entertainment, large-scale performances, large exhibitions, property development, advertising, box rentals, beverages, and accommodations.

Chinese owners have little experience in the management and operation of sports venues, and there are many complicated questions concerning the former Olympic venues’ operations; so we suggest the owners cooperate with professional companies to maximize their operational potential.

(1) Establish a Joint-Venture

In accordance with the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Chinese Equity Joint Ventures, the Foreign Investment Industrial Guidance Catalogue (Amended in 2007) and Guiding the Direction of Foreign Investment Provisions, Chinese and foreign companies can jointly manage and operate sports venues.  In addition, it is specified that Chinese parties shall hold shares if the sports venues are used for performances. Therefore, the owner can establish a joint venture with foreign professional enterprises to manage the sports venues.

(2) Entrust Foreign Enterprises to Operate the Sports Venues

In accordance with the Corporate Law of China People’s Republic of China, the Contract Law of People’s Republic of China and the Methods of the Management of Registration of Foreign Investment Companies in China, owners may entrust a professional domestic or foreign company to be responsible for a sports venue’s management. In such situations, a subsidiary company of the foreign enterprise shall be established in accordance with relevant Chinese laws and regulations.

(3) Joint Venture Combined With Entrustment

This kind of cooperation is based on the two operational forms mentioned above, guided by the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Chinese Equity Joint Ventures and the Contract Law of People’s Republic of China. Owners may first establish a joint venture with a qualified partner and entrust its partner to be wholly or partially responsible for the operation of the sports venue.

(4) Contractual Cooperation

Contractual cooperation is based on the Contract Law of People’s Republic of China, which governs cooperation between the parties under a contract.

This is to a joint venture, which specifies the rights, obligations, investment, risks, debts and proceeds of either parties. The two parties shall provide some necessary conditions for the cooperation.

2. Inheriting a Concessionary Contract

A concession project contract is a special agreement concluded between the government and an investor before initiating a project. It usually specifies the rights and obligations of two parties, in the case after the Games. Under such contracts, obligations and rights are usually limited, such as the limitation of asset warranty of sports venue and cooperation with a third party. These issues shall be decided with the written consent of the government.

If owners conduct the operation of a sports venue and want to finance a venture using the sports venue as a collateral asset or cooperate with a third party, they should first get approval of the government. Otherwise, they may encounter difficulties such as a default of liability or contract termination.

特许经营体育场馆在奥运赛后运营模式选择中的法律问题

文/王霁虹 谢颐

一、赛后运营的模式选择

场馆运营内容主要包括:竞赛表演、竞技训练、大众健身娱乐、大型汇演、大型博览会、物业开发、广告出租、包厢出租、餐饮、住宿等。

目前，大型、综合性体育场馆运营这个领域里，场馆业主自身往往由于运营内容广泛和繁杂，相对缺乏专业的运营经验，为此，除自身经营外，对外合作等模式则成为各场馆业主重点考虑的方式。而在合作的实务操作中，如下几种方式可供参考选择：

（一）设立合资公司的方式

根据《中华人民共和国中外合资经营企业法》、《外商投资产业指导目录（2007年修订）》和《指导外商投资方向规定》的规定，体育场馆的经营和管理项目是可以与外资进行合资合作的。其中，演出场所的经营则进一步要求中方控股，为此，项目业主可作为合作主体之一，与境内外专业的场馆运营企业共同投资设立合资企业，并共同负责场馆经营管理。

（二）委托经营的方式

根据《中华人民共和国公司法》、《中华人民共和国合同法》和《外国（地区）企业在中国境内从事生产经营活动登记管理办法》的有关规定，项目业主可以采取委托经营的方式，委托境内外专业的场馆运营企业负责场馆经营管理。其中，境外主体需要依据中国法律经批准登记且合法持有营业执照或依法设立中国子公司。

（三）合作企业+委托经营的方式

　　依据《中华人民共和国中外合作经营企业法》和《中华人民共和国合同法》的规定以及中外作企业在实践中的管理模式，项目业主可采取先行与境内外专业的场馆运营企业共同设立合作企业，合作企业设立后，项目业主可（全权/部分）委托境内外专业的场馆运营企业负责合作企业的经营管理，从而进一步负责场馆经营管理。

（四）契约式合作的方式

此种方式主要是基于《中华人民共和国合同法》的规定，项目业主通过与境内外专业的场馆运营企业签署合作协议的方式进行合作。

契约式合作的方式与合作企业的模式类似，均是以合同或契约的方式来规定合作双方的权利和义务，包括投资、收益分配、风险债务的分担等，双方只提供一些合作条件。

二、赛后运营应与特许协议有效衔接

特许经营模式下的奥运场馆，其场馆业主在考虑赛后运营前，应注意核实其在《体育场馆特许权协议》项下的主要义务，尤其是限制性的义务，诸如融资时场馆资产抵押的限制，与第三方合资合作的限制等，而上述限制往往需要事先取得政府部门的书面同意。

如果项目业主在赛后的场馆经营上，以场馆资产为基础进行融资，或与第三方等合资合作共同经营体育场馆，则需遵照协议的要求，事先履行必要的审批程序，以避免导致违约，进而被终止协议等负面情形的发生。