Allegheny Institute Blog

In addition to the recent structural collapse at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, there appears to be an internal collapse at the office of the Center’s master, the Sports and Exhibition Authority. A late breaking news story reports that a forgery and theft by an employee has resulted in a missing $43,000. The staff member has been fired.

This episode echoes one from three years ago when a worker at the City’s Stadium Authority—the agency that was responsible for Three Rivers Stadium and had promised to go out of business when that structure was demolished—embezzled $200,000 over several years. Though two separate agencies, the SEA and the Stadium Authority are linked as they share the same staff. The SEA executive director is also the executive director of the Stadium Authority. That was the arrangement in 2004. Three years ago, the Chairman of the Stadium Authority (who was also the chairman of the SEA, but is now gone from both agencies) stated that “clearly we didn't have enough controls in place” and justified the Stadium Authority’s existence by saying that had to pay off debt.

How lame. The Stadium Authority has continued on limited life support as an extra means of control for the City on how the North Shore is developed. The Mayor appoints all five members to the Stadium Authority board and 3 of the 7 to the SEA board.

Things seem to be falling apart at the SEA. Obviously, the controls that were lacking over at the Stadium Authority are also lacking at the SEA. There are some huge red flags being waved. This latest management debacle combined with the massive construction cost overruns at the convention center, the numerous problems during construction including the death of a worker, and two serious structural problems in the first four years of the convention center’s existence do not reflect well on those who have been in charge at the SEA. It remains to be seen if any management personnel are held accountable.