State cost in land fight $3.2 million

• By MICHELLE MILLHOLLON
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Oct 10, 2009 - Page: 1A

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Years of legal wrangling on riverfront property in downtown Baton Rouge have cost the state $3.2 million, according to state records.

Three governors have unsuccessfully pushed the courts to squash a railroad company’s objections to development of the land. Gov. Bobby Jindal also could wade into the dispute.

Mayor-President Kip Holden is asking voters to raise taxes to pay for a $225 million Audubon Alive riverfront park. The park would be built on the site that has embroiled the state for years in litigation.

The property — known as a batture because it is flooded part of the year — is across River Road from the Pentagon barracks.

Jindal’s Division of Administration late Thursday released financial documents and e-mails concerning the property.

The records show that between 1995 and 2005, the state spent:

• $1.09 million on construction, engineering contracting and related costs during the Foster administration.
• $1.75 million, including $1.5 million to settle with the construction company whose work was stopped by court order, during the Blanco administration.
• $329,579.29 on legal fees to two private law firms over 10 years. 

The Jones, Walker law firm handled the bulk of the legal work for the state from December 1996 to November 2005, according to state records. Gary, Field, Landry & Bradford law firm advised the state from January 1995 to April 1996. Most of the partners of the Gary, Field firm now work for Jones, Walker.

The administration division did not produce legal costs for 1994, when the state filed a lawsuit over the land.

Despite the expense and several bulging court files, the land between the levee and the Mississippi River remains undeveloped.

Plans to put a state park there cratered a few years ago. Now Holden wants to build an entertainment and education venue called Alive on the site.

Ten months ago, one of Holden’s aides, Walter Monsour, asked the Jindal administration in an e-mail for help in resolving legal questions over the use of the site. No reply was included in the records turned over by the Jindal administration.

The Governor’s Office agreed this week to step in if voters back Holden’s proposal next month, according to Tim Barfield, Jindal’s executive counsel.