The big thing holding up the redevelopment of the World Trade Center are two lawsuits filed against the winning bidders of the project. But this week, Gov. John Bel Edwards signed into law changes that could speed up the litigation.
Inspired by the original lawsuit challenging the Four Seasons developers' lease, the law changes rules regarding developers contesting leases through public benefit corporations.
The original bill would have required these developers to post bond or cash with the court to keep the lawsuit alive, with the amount of money depending on the length of the lease. The bill was later changed to focus on expediting the timeline of such lawsuits. According to the new law, a trial must be held within 60 days of a lawsuit being filed, and a judgment handed down within 20 days. This applies to both current and future lawsuits.
Originally scheduled for Oct. 24, a new lawsuit trial date could come as soon as August.
• John Bel Edwards signs Four Seasons World Trade Center bill into law [NOLA.com]