Harbor Comm'n Makes Port Part Of "Public Private Partnership" Civic Center Transaction, Will Include New Port HQ, Reduce City's Payments To Build New City Hall

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(Dec. 8, 2014, 11:45 p.m.) -- As seen LIVE on LBREPORT.com, the Long Beach Harbor Comm'n tonight (Dec. 8) voted without dissent to approve Port staff's recommendation to become a financial participant in a public private partnership (P3) financing arrangement to be negotiated with Plenary-Edgemoor Civic Partners.

If approved by the City Council tomorrow night (Dec. 9), the transaction would include a new Port HQ as part of a proposed new Civic Center.

The Port's agreement to put Port money into the transaction effectively reduces amounts the City will have to pay to build a new Civic Center.

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The Harbor Commission action came with a disclosure by Commission Farrell that the PECP proposal had been the subject of some security discussions. "We did hear from Plenary-Edgemoor in particular that the underground parking does comply with FBI requirements to a certain extent...however we also understood from that specific team that they're also considering other above ground alternatives as well..." Commissioner Farrell noted that the competing project proposer, Long Beach CiviCore Alliance, proposed above-ground parking to address security issues.

Commissioner Egoscue made the motion to approve Port staff's recommendations with a noteworthy change: to remove the two words "and execute" from approval to negotiate a Exclusive Negotiation Agreement. The wording change presumably means that Port staff's negotiated contract and associated documents will return to the Harbor Comm'n for its review [and possibly public review] before Commission approval and execution.

[LBREPORT.com comment: the wording change is a refreshing change in governing oversight and possibly public openness from usual Port and City Council procedures, in which neither the public nor decisionmakers see contracts before they're approved.]

As previously reported by LBREPORT.com, the City Council is scheduled to decide on Dec. 9 whether to proceed with the P3 transaction for an entire Civic Center rebuild. LBREPORT.com will have LIVE video on our front page, www.LBREPORT.com, starting at 5:00 p.m.