Contractors working on the $863 million Little Caesars Arena in Detroit have paid $5.2 million in fines to the city for failing to meet the local worker requirement.
Contractors fell short of the mandate requiring at least 51% of workers on the new hockey arena be Detroit residents. Of nearly 3 million hours worked on the project, Detroit residents worked just 25% of the total.
That is less than half of what is required for projects that receive brownfield tax abatements or for where developers are able to purchase city land for below-market prices. Local participation was lowest in skilled trade positions including steel work, electrical, plumbing, and carpentry.
The fines will fund construction training programs, but some contractors can avoid fines if they hire from plumbing and carpentry unions that set aside 25% of their first-year apprentice positions for Detroit residents.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Apr 18, 2018
New Green Globe pilot program launched
Precursor to revised Green Globes Assessment Protocol for Commercial Buildings.
Codes and Standards | Apr 17, 2018
Contractor charged with fraud in winning $200 million in federal contracts
Accused of falsely claiming veteran- and minority-owned business status.
Codes and Standards | Apr 16, 2018
Wide variations in adoption of National Electric Code could jeopardize safety
An NFPA report found that code adoption is under heavier political scrutiny, leading to delays and decisions motivated by factors other than safety concerns.
Codes and Standards | Apr 12, 2018
Corruption in New York City construction industry is common
Scale of projects, number of players involved contributes to problem.
Codes and Standards | Apr 11, 2018
Urgent need for government to make communities, infrastructure more resilient
More than 350 people died from extreme weather events in 2017.
Codes and Standards | Apr 10, 2018
Boosting energy efficiency helps reduce health risks
Cleaner air results in fewer heart attacks, respiratory disease, and premature deaths.
Codes and Standards | Apr 9, 2018
U.K. business leaders call for zero-carbon buildings by 2030
Real estate, construction industry executives among those supporting the goal.
Codes and Standards | Apr 5, 2018
In Houston, proposed rules would require building above 500-year flood level
Change would impact 85,739 pieces of property.
Codes and Standards | Apr 4, 2018
New ASTM standard supports stucco use in construction
Provides way to measure tensile strength in vertical applications.
Codes and Standards | Apr 3, 2018
LEED v4.1 O+M for Existing Buildings available for beta testing
Update said to be most inclusive and transparent platform to date.