Troy Henrys firm emerges victorious in downtown New Orleans clean-up contract controversy

July 06, 2024

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - A failed bidder contested the Downtown Development District’s (DDD) decision to award a multimillion-dollar clean-up contract to Six Flags developer Troy Henry.

The DDD had been paying “Block by Block” $2.6 million annually for the past 15 years to clean up litter, remove graffiti, and touch up paint in a 160-block area in downtown New Orleans.

Concerns were voiced about disadvantaged business participation and the work was re-bid earlier this year. Block by Block lost out and the contract went to Henry’s consulting company.

Henry is a former mayoral candidate who recently won a bid to redevelop the abandoned Six Flags site in New Orleans East.

A selection committee found that Henry’s clean-up bid was the strongest.

Charles Rice, who represents Fulcrum Enterprises, one of five failed bidders, claims the process was flawed and filed suit seeking an injunction to stop the contract from changing hands.

“The proposals and the winning bidder were incomplete and I believe a contractor’s license is required,” said Rice. “The way they went about this process didn’t pass the smell test.”

The DDD defended its selection, stating that Block by Block never held such a license due to their focus on clean-up and touch-up painting rather than construction.

Chief Civil Court Judge Monique Barial upheld the DDD’s choice, ruling that a contractor’s license was not necessary.

Block by Block says they committed more manpower to downtown cleanup than Henry’s company proposes. However, the company’s president, Blair McBride, says they have no intentions of filing a lawsuit to challenge the selection process.

“We are going to walk away a disappointed vendor, but we definitely question the decision and the winner’s deployment plan,” said McBride.

In less than two weeks, New Orleans will host New Year’s Eve revelers and the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Mardi Gras, arguably the largest endeavor for downtown clean-up crews, is right around the corner.

“It doesn’t help out that we’re 11 days out now and the goal of being here is so we don’t interrupt getting the cleaning done uninterrupted,” said Charles Zimmer, the attorney for Henry Consulting.

Despite the brief timeframe, Troy Henry Consulting assures readiness for upcoming events.

“They are spending up now getting workers in place and hopefully there will be no drop off in between,” said Zimmer.

See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Click Here to report it. Please include the headline.

Subscribe to the Fox 8 YouTube channel.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7p7vXcaOirpVjsLC5jmtna2tfZn9wfo9oq6unqWK1prrRsqpmnpmnum6xzJ6poJ2jYsOqr9OoqaKnpah6pbvWp6uor55iu6bDjKippZ2Ro8Bur8uemKdlpaV6pLvNramam6RisLC606umr52iqMZw