Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 112 Part 5.djvu/751

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PUBLIC LAW 105-391—NOV. 13, 1998 112 STAT. 3509 concession contract the Secretary estimates will have a leasehold surrender interest of more than $10,000,000, that the value of any leasehold surrender interest in a capital improvement shall be based on either (A) a reduction on an annual basis, in equal portions, over the same number of years as the time period associated with the straight line depreciation of the initial value (construction cost of the capital improvement), as provided by applicable Federal income tax laws and regulations in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act or (B) such alternative formula that is consistent with the objectives of this title. The Secretary may only use Federal Register, such an alternative formula if the Secretary determines, after publication, scrutiny of the financial and other circumstances involved in this particular concession contract (including providing notice in the Federal Register and opportunity for comment), that such alternative formula is, compared to the standard method of determining value provided for in paragraph (3), necessary in order to provide a fair return to the Government and to foster competition for the new contract by providing a reasonable opportunity to make a profit under the new contract. If no responsive offers are received in response to a solicitation that includes such an alternative formula, the concession opportunity shall be resolicited with the leasehold surrender interest value as described in paragraph (3). (5) Where a concessioner, pursuant to the terms of a concessions contract, makes a capital improvement to an existing capital improvement in which the concessioner has a leasehold surrender interest, the cost of such additional capital improvement shall be added to the then current value of the concessioner's leasehold surrender interest. (b) SPECIAL RULE FOR EXISTING POSSESSORY INTEREST.— (1) A concessioner which has obtained a possessory interest as defined pursuant to Public Law 89-249 (commonly known as the National Park Service Concessions Policy Act; 16 U.S.C. 20 et seq.), as in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act, under the terms of a concessions contract entered into before that date shall, upon the expiration or termination of such contract, be entitled to receive compensation for such possessory interest improvements in the amount and manner as described by such concessions contract. Where such a possessory interest is not described in the existing contract, compensation of possessory interest shall be determined in accordance with the laws in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this Act. (2) In the event such prior concessioner is awarded a new concessions contract after the effective date of this title replacing an existing concessions contract, the existing concessioner shall, instead of directly receiving such possessory interest compensation, have a leasehold surrender interest in its existing possessory interest improvements under the terms of the new contract and shall carry over as the initial value of such leasehold surrender interest (instead of construction cost) an amount equal to the value of the existing possessory interest as of the termination date of the previous contract. In the event of a dispute between the concessioner and the Secretary as to the value of such possessory interest, the matter shall be resolved through binding arbitration.