Court rules LSP marina plan can proceed

JERSEY CITY – A lawsuit brought by Jersey City to halt a plan to construct “millionaires’ marina” at the south end of Liberty State Park was rejected by a Superior Court on Jan. 19.
The court ruled that the project could move ahead.
“The judge ruled today the LSP Marina plan could move forward but the ruling doesn’t matter to us at this point either way as we got through the Christie administration, and I feel comfortable that the park is no longer at risk,” said Mayor Steven Fulop in a Tweet.
Jersey City filed a lawsuit seeking to halt a controversial plan to add a marina to Liberty State Park, with the city alleging the state improperly entered into an agreement with a Texas company that seeks to run the marina and that the state failed to use a required competitive bid process. The city, which also alleges the state did not consult with third parties to investigate the effects the new marina would have on the park, is seeking a declaratory judgment that would void the state’s agreement with the marina company, Suntex.
Suntex, which operates the marina at the northern end of the park, under this agreement, would be allowed to construct the new marina as an extension of its existing lease – by passing traditional bidding process and a number of opportunities for the public to oppose it. The deal was fast-tracked by the Christie Administration. But Fulop’s confidence that the marina will not take place is a result of a statement by the new governor, Phil Murphy, who said he also opposes the project.