No project acquired under this article shall be operated by an authority, any municipal corporation, county, or other governmental subdivision; but such projects shall be leased or sold to one or more qualified sponsors. If revenue bonds or other obligations are to be issued to pay all or part of the cost of such project, the project must be so leased or the contract for its sale entered into prior to or simultaneously with the issuance of such bonds or obligations unless the proceeds of the revenue bonds or other obligations are to be loaned to a qualified sponsor in connection with the development of a project, in which case an appropriate loan agreement shall be entered into prior to or simultaneously with the issuance of such bonds or obligations. If the project is sold, the purchase price may be paid at one time or in installments falling due over not more than 40 years from the date of transfer of possession. The lessee or purchaser shall be required to pay all costs of operating and maintaining the leased or purchased property and to pay rentals or installments in amounts sufficient to pay the principal of and interest and premium, if any, on all of its bonds and other obligations as the principal and interest become due.