Southeast

DALLAS - The South Louisiana Port Commission will expand cargo-handling capabilities at the Port of South Louisiana with a new pier financed by $8 million of port revenue bonds.

BRADENTON, Fla. - The first-ever statewide PACE program, which already has $2 billion of validated bonding capacity from a Florida court, is on an aggressive track toward implementation with the selection of nationally recognized financial advisors.

BRADENTON, Fla. - Assured Guaranty Ltd. said Tuesday that it will reconsider insuring the bonds of municipalities and states that don't have a process to review and approve local bankruptcy petitions, citing Alabama as a primary example.

BRADENTON, Fla. - Since Jefferson County, Ala., filed the county's largest municipal bankruptcy in history last week, attention has largely focused on the county's $3.14 billion of nonrecourse sewer system debt.

The North Carolina Turnpike Authority expects to sell $220 million of state appropriation revenue bonds in a two-day sale this week.

Alabama issuers should not see their ratings lowered by the Jefferson County bankruptcy action, but investor perception could take its toll on future issues.

Retail reaction to the announcement late Wednesday that Jefferson County, Ala., filed the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history is likely to be muted, yet will still be closely monitored, portfolio managers say.

BRADENTON, Fla. - The Atlanta Falcons hope to seek proposals by the end of the month from companies interested in designing a new open-air stadium for the National Football League team.

A promised redemption of troubled bonds issued by the Clay County Gas Utility District did not happen. It wasn’t the first such disappointment.

Moody’s Investors Service last week placed $699 million of New Orleans’ municipal debt on review for possible downgrades due to “deteriorated financial performance.”