The legislative authority of any city of the first class of more than four hundred thousand population shall have, notwithstanding any charter or statutory provision to the contrary, authority by ordinance to create a separate department of municipal government for the administration, management and control of any multiple use city property, including improvements thereon, devoted to educational, cultural, recreational, entertainment, athletic, convention and such other uses as shall be declared by ordinance to be incident to a civic center. The supervision of said department shall be by a manager, board or commission to be appointed in the manner, receive such compensation and perform such duties as may be prescribed by ordinance which may include authority to enter into leases, concessions and other agreements on behalf of the city, appoint and remove employees subject to applicable civil service provisions, advertise events and publicize and otherwise promote the use of such civic center facilities, and operate, manage and control municipal off-street parking and public transportation facilities heretofore or hereafter erected primarily to serve such civic center. All expenditures, purchases and improvements made or performed by or under the direction of said department shall be subject to applicable charter provisions and statutes.