Any forest preserve district in a county with a population of less than 3,000,000, has the power from time to time, before, on, or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1996, to construct, equip, acquire, extend, improve, restore, maintain, and operate recreational and cultural facilities, including but not limited to natatoriums, swimming pools, ice skating rinks, tennis courts, golf courses, toboggan slides, ski areas, museums, historic buildings, botanical gardens, cultural and environmental education centers, or any combination thereof, and all necessary related facilities, such as but not limited to gift shops, cafeterias, snack bars, restaurants, or any combination thereof, to borrow money therefor, and as evidence thereof, to issue and sell bonds. Such bonds shall be payable solely from the revenue derived from the operation of such facility or facilities constructed, equipped, acquired, extended, or improved in whole or in part with the proceeds of such bonds issued for the construction, equipping, acquisition, extension or improvement of such facility or facilities and shall be secured by a pledge of the revenues as herein provided of such facility or facilities or any combination thereof so constructed, equipped, acquired, extended or improved.
     Such bonds may be issued in such amounts as may be necessary to provide sufficient funds to pay all the cost of the construction, equipping, acquisition, extension or improvement of such facility or facilities or any combination thereof, including the cost of acquisition of any land, as well as the engineering, legal, fiscal and other expenses, together with interest on the bonds to a date 12 months subsequent to the estimated date of completion. All bonds issued hereunder shall have all qualities of negotiable instruments under the laws of this State.