Public-private partnership

The National Football League's Chicago Bears are pursuing plans to build a publicly owned domed stadium in Chicago, boosted by $2 billion of private funds. 

The state has tapped JP Morgan and Wells Fargo as managers of the deal.

"This bill is aimed at providing more economic opportunity for our cash-strapped airports," said bill sponsor Rep. Chip Brown before the House passed it 98-2.

Robert Poole, a leading expert in the U.S. public-private partnership transportation sector, joins infrastructure reporter Caitlin Devitt to talk about upcoming deals including toll lanes and bridges in the Southeast and high speed rail in the West as well as states that are advancing P3s and action on the federal front. (37 minutes)

Louisiana, Georgia, Tennessee and Illinois have transportation P3s on tap, and the Army Corps of Engineers is advancing its first four P3 programs.

The state expects to release a RFQ for interested consortiums later this year and has named I-24 as the first toll lane project.

States are considering tolls, public-private partnerships, per-mile usage fees and even retail delivery fees to shore up transportation funding among a declining motor fuel tax.

Financing for the $2.1 billion Calcasieu River bridge includes a mix of state funds, federal grants and bonds, which will hit the market in early April.

The troubled P3 project has been behind schedule and over budget.

The new governor and concessionaire on the $2.1 billion P3 have reached a revised deal that will lower tolls and provide a 15% equity contribution to the local area.

The bill would require government agencies to undertake an independent audit and a public comment period before entering into P3s among other provisions.

The delays have led to a technical default by the design-build contractor on the $450 million project to design, finance, build, operate and maintain the Thruway's 27 service areas.

Well-known municipal restructuring and P3 attorney Karol Denniston, the Global Projects Partner at Squire Patton Boggs, talks with infrastructure reporter Caitlin Devitt about the growing popularity of predevelopment agreements as well as the P3 pipeline and legal challenges like the University of Iowa's litigation over its 50-year energy concession. (38 minutes)

The deal marks one of the rare instances of true asset recycling in the U.S.

Nevada state officials have partnered with two companies that specialize in working with charter schools to create a $100 million revolving loan fund to build schools and refund existing high-interest debt.

A state congressional committee voted down a proposal to replace the aging Calcasieu Bridge with a toll-road through a public-private-partnership. Now limited options remain to carry out the work, say some state officials.

The deal is expected to be executed Dec. 14, putting four government-run tollways under Albertis Infraestructuras SA, which already runs Puerto Rico toll roads.

The commonwealth revamped its P3 law last year in the wake of a court ruling striking down a tolled bridge program.

The two-day meeting in Atlanta kicked off what the mayors say will be a regular meeting to promote more public-private partnerships for infrastructure projects.

Spartanburg, South Carolina inked a $425 million deal that will build a single-A baseball stadium and surrounding residential and commercial development.