J. Accept grants and the cooperation of the United States or any agency of the United States in the construction, maintenance, reconstruction, operation and financing of the center and do any and all things necessary to avail itself of that aid and cooperation and repay any grant or part of any grant;

K. Employ assistants; agents; engineering, traffic, architectural and construction experts; inspectors; attorneys; and other employees it determines necessary or desirable for its purposes;

L. Exercise any of its powers in the public domain of the United States, unless the exercise of those powers is not permitted by the laws of the United States;

M. Borrow money and make, issue and sell at public or private sale negotiable notes, bonds and other evidences of indebtedness or obligations of the center for the purposes set forth in this Act and secure the payment of an obligation or any part of an obligation by pledge of all or any part of the operating revenues of the center;

N. Enter into loan or security agreements with one or more lending institutions, including, but not limited to, banks, insurance companies and pension funds, or trustees for those institutions, for purposes for which bonds may be issued, and exercise with respect to a loan or security agreement all of the powers delineated in this Act for the issuance of bonds; and

O. Take all other lawful action necessary and incidental to these powers.

Sec. 2. Governmental function and status. The purposes of this Act are public and the center is regarded as performing a governmental function in carrying out this Act. The center is a local district for purposes of the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, Part 20; a political subdivision for purposes of Title 14, chapter 741; and a public employer for purposes of Title 26, chapter 9-A.