Officials today announced that New Orleans is suing the owners of the Hard Rock Hotel development and contractors who were building the project when it partially collapsed last year, killing three men.
"The City of New Orleans has filed suit against the parties responsible for the fatal collapse of the Hard Rock project," Mayor LaToya Cantrell said in a news release.
The suit seeks damages on behalf of the city and alleges that owner Mohan Kailas, his partners and their contractors, bear the moral and legal obligation to accept responsibility.
"We continue to experience significant harm as a result of this disaster... and this suit further seeks to hold them accountable," the release states.
The mayor today repeated the thoughts she expressed after the remains of the workers were finally removed after more than ten months.
“We will continue to hold the building’s ownership accountable and stand with our families to seek justice. This lawsuit is a step towards doing just that,” said Mayor Cantrell. “Our City was harmed. Our people were killed. No amount of delay or denial or excuses can change that fact — and we will not allow those responsible to evade responsibility for the damages they have caused to our City.”
City Attorney Sunni LeBeouf said that the city would have preferred to not engage in litigation.
"We have done so only because the property owners have failed to right the wrongs they have caused,” LeBeouf insisted.
The release lists the taxpayer costs since the collapse in October.
"The Hard Rock building collapse not only damaged City property, including streets and infrastructure, it has required the City to divert and expend tremendous public resources for work necessary to respond to the collapse and its horrific consequences — at a cost of at least $12.3 million to taxpayers."
The city alleges the cost goes beyond that in the form of economic activity.
"Further, the collapse caused the near-total shutdown of one of the city’s critical economic corridors, including the closure of the Saenger Theatre and other neighboring businesses for months, with business closures continuing in some instances."