Back in August, GBLU discussed protracted disputes between the Washington D.C. Government and the Washington Nationals owners over the construction of the Nationals’ new stadium. The dispute centers on when the LEED certified stadium was substantially complete. To date the Lerner family, the team owners, have withheld payment of $3.5 million as a result of the dispute. It appears the dispute is not going away either:
In negotiations with the D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission, which oversaw stadium construction, Lerner representatives have cited problems with the ballpark, including the quality of the sound system and the lighting on the scoreboard, according to sources familiar with the talks who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the dispute.
What does this have to do with green building? The lighting on the Nationals’ scoreboard is “made possible by high-definition LED technology that the Lerner family paid to have upgraded beyond the basic specifications called for in the ballpark’s design.” LED lighting uses significantly less energy than traditional lights and is an increasingly popular green building strategy in stadiums, like the Beijing Olympic Basketball Gymnasium. In this case, it appears the Lerner family’s expectations of the LED scoreboard lights were not met.
Could this result in significant green building litigation between the D.C. and the Lerner family? The City seems to think so:
Matthew Cutts, chairman of the D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission, which oversaw stadium construction, said the agency is in the process of hiring the law firm Seyfarth Shaw to handle the case.
- Litigation Involving “Green” Nationals Stadium (GBLU)
- Nationals Park Revenue Falls Short of the Mark (Washington Post)
- 7 Amazing Olympic Green Buildings (Jetson Green)