Liberty Junction files opposition to lawsuit in courthouse fight
Liberty Junction counters a lawsuit alleging conflict of interest in the Springfield courthouse bid, asserting compliance with ethics rules and cost savings for taxpayers.Summary
Liberty Junction, the consortium that secured the contract to build Springfield’s new courthouse, has filed an opposition to a lawsuit brought by developers Jeb Balise and Dinesh Patel. The suit alleges that state official John Barros, who holds an ownership stake in the Liberty Junction team and recently became interim head of the state’s convention center authority, violated ethics rules by participating in the bidding process. Barros counters that he disclosed his interest, remained uninvolved in the bid, and has since divested himself of any financial ties to the project. Liberty Junction maintains that its proposal is $7.4 million cheaper annually than the next best bid, amounting to nearly $300 million in savings over the 40‑year lease, and asserts that the lawsuit is baseless. Both parties are scheduled to appear before the court on August 11.
(Source：Western Massachusetts News)