Typically, we like to start posts such as this one with a sentence or two about how mechanics liens aren’t usually riveting news stories. However, with recent liens filed against Beyoncé and Jay-Z, against Intel’s new, mysterious nano chip factory, and against the NBA’s Sacramento Kings, that simply isn’t true. The latest iteration of the newsworthy mechanics lien sticks to sports, but this time takes place on the gridiron. Mechanics liens have been filed against the stadium at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Yep – that’d be Canton.
We’ve also written about a lien filed by Super Bowl turf installers and a lien against the Cleveland Browns.
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Nearly $6M in Liens Filed Against Pro Football Hall of Fame Stadium
First, let us lament the fact that the stadium is named after New Orleans’ own Tom Benson (it’s the “Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium”). Mr. Benson brought us a Super Bowl and I’ll always love him for that. Anyway…
Many people may remember the construction of the new Canton stadium in infamy. In 2016, the Hall of Fame game was cancelled due to the conditions at the newly built stadium. The 2017 game went off without a hitch, but construction continued. Apparently, not all of that work was paid for.
Not familiar with mechanics liens? Here’s a quick breakdown: Mechanics Lien 101.
The Liens
CantonRep.com has the full story, and some of the actual lien filings can be found on their site.
7 different liens have been filed against the Pro Football Hall of Fame Stadium for a total of about $5.7M. They were filed for a litany of construction functions, including demolition, waterproofing, plumbing, glass and glazing work, and landscaping, to name a few. It appears that all of the construction occurred after the the 2016 Hall of Fame Game issues that caused the cancellation referred to earlier in this post. According to CantonRep, the new construction (for which these liens were filed) was set to cost about $54.7M, meaning these liens represent over 10% of the (planned) cost of the new construction.
Takeaway
I’ll try to remain impartial, but I should mention that I was a student worker for the Pro Football Hall of Fame for all of 3 days leading up to Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans. They were great, paid well, and even gave out free gear (that I still wear around the office).
But seriously- failing to pay contractors, subs, and suppliers on a project of this magnitude is no laughing matter. Payment disputes are common for major developers and massive projects such as this one, but at the other end of the table sit individuals and small businesses that are going unpaid. While a big organization may be able to withstand these disputes, chasing payment on projects like this can (and often does) cripple construction businesses. The Pro Football Hall of Fame should take every measure to get these workers paid as quickly as possible.
Take a look at our Resources page for an online library of construction payment laws across all 50 states.
