President Trump released his Infrastructure Plan on Monday and to no surprise…it pleased almost no one…other than perhaps those who crafted it. Some have questioned whether the plan pleases anyone.
Working with government procurement has changed over the past few years… and not necessarily for the better. Unfortunately, it is often harder now to sell to government than it was in the past.
With the 52nd Super Bowl still fresh in the mind, now is a good time to review the dozens of other cities throughout the country that are in various stages of planning for new sports facilities/stadium construction. The past year resembled a rollercoaster when it came to planning for new stadiums. Sports construction spending in 2018 is expected to total $4.1 billion and will reach nearly $6 billion by 2019. There are 75 stadium projects in the U.S. that are either currently active or scheduled to begin soon.
Projections of a possible record year for electric power production from renewable energy sources have been tempered significantly by actions of the Trump administration. The announcement that the U.S. government would impose a 30 percent tariff on imported solar equipment such as photovoltaic cells and modules created shudders throughout the industry. And the shockwaves were hardest felt by the very segment of the industry that in 2017 pushed renewables toward a new record for 2018 – solar energy.
The expanded use and funding for Private Activity Bonds (PABs) has again taken over the spotlight in infrastructure debate in America. A six-page document claimed to be the draft outline for President Trump’s long-awaited national infrastructure plan was leaked this week, and PABs are among the major infrastructure funding principles addressed.