The head of Los Angeles International Airport denied allegations on Tuesday that she improperly influenced the recent selection of a developer to oversee more than $5 billion worth of airport upgrades, the Daily Breeze rerpots.
Gina Marie Lindsey said she did not engage in cronyism by urging airport executives to select Los Angeles-based DMJM as project manager of the LAX capital improvements program. The DMJM team is headed by Loren Smith, who oversaw $3 billion worth of improvements at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport while Lindsey was in charge there.
“It’s simply not true,” Lindsey said. “I understand that was the allegation, but if you worked in this business for 25 years and been active in building airport programs, then you get to know a lot of people in the business.”
Lindsey met behind closed doors on Tuesday with Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn to explain how DMJM was selected over San Francisco-based Bechtel.
A committee made up of five airport executives had initially selected Bechtel as project manager of the airport’s modernization efforts.
Airport insiders had said that Lindsey was upset with the selection and ordered a second round of interviews with both firms, with DMJM coming out on top. The airport commission agreed last month to award a $25million project management contract to DMJM.
