Acquisition of lands

The board may acquire by purchase, donation, expropriation, lease, or otherwise, any and all lands in the district needed for railways, warehouses, docks, wharves, sheds, buildings, canals, channels, slips, basins, airports, and other facilities to be owned and operated by the board or to lease to others for manufacturing, commercial, and business purposes to promote the industrial development of the district and it may provide for the payment of such land out of the funds under its control not otherwise specially appropriated; provided, however, that the board shall not have the right to expropriate minerals or mineral rights, and shall not have the right to expropriate existing facilities used in production of oil, gas, saltwater, sulphur, or storage of butane or propane. Should the properties expropriated hereunder cease to be used for the purposes for which they were expropriated, such property shall revert to the original owner, or his heirs or assigns, provided such owner, or his heirs or assigns, shall reimburse the board, or its successor, in the full amount originally paid by the board for such properties.