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Contingencies and Commitments | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2017
Contingencies and Commitments [Abstract] |
Contingencies and Commitments | 6. Contingencies and Commitments ﻿ The Company and certain of its subsidiaries are involved in litigation and are contingently liable for commitments and performance guarantees arising in the ordinary course of business. The Company and certain of its customers have made claims arising from the performance under their contracts. The Company recognizes certain significant claims for recovery of incurred cost when it is probable that the claim will result in additional contract revenue and when the amount of the claim can be reliably estimated. These assessments require judgments concerning matters such as litigation developments and outcomes, the anticipated outcome of negotiations, the number of future claims, and the cost of both pending and future claims. In addition, because most contingencies are resolved over long periods of time, assets and liabilities may change in the future due to various factors. Management believes that, based on current information and discussions with the Company’s legal counsel, the ultimate resolution of these matters is not expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows. ﻿ Several matters are in the litigation and dispute resolution process. The following discussion provides a background and current status of the more significant matters. ﻿ Long Island Expressway/Cross Island Parkway Matter ﻿ The Company reconstructed the Long Island Expressway/Cross Island Parkway Interchange for the New York State Department of Transportation (the “NYSDOT”). The $130 million project was substantially completed in January 2004 and was accepted by the NYSDOT as complete in February 2006. The Company incurred significant added costs in completing its work and suffered extended schedule costs due to numerous design errors, undisclosed utility conflicts, lack of coordination with local agencies and other interferences for which the Company believes the NYSDOT is responsible. ﻿ In March 2011, the Company filed its claim and complaint with the New York State Court of Claims and served to the New York State Attorney General’s Office, seeking damages in the amount of $53.8 million. In May 2011, the NYSDOT filed a motion to dismiss the Company’s claim on the grounds that the Company had not provided required documentation for project closeout and filing of a claim. In September 2011, the Company reached agreement on final payment with the Comptroller’s Office on behalf of the NYSDOT, which resulted in an amount of $0.5 million payable to the Company and formally closed out the project allowing the Company to re-file its claim. The Company re-filed its claim in the amount of $53.8 million with the NYSDOT in February 2012 and with the Court of Claims in March 2012. In May 2012, the NYSDOT served its answer and counterclaims in the amount of $151 million alleging fraud in the inducement and punitive damages related to disadvantaged business enterprise (“DBE”) requirements for the project. The Court subsequently ruled that NYSDOT’s counterclaims may only be asserted as a defense and offset to the Company’s claims and not as affirmative claims. In November 2014, the Appellate Division First Department affirmed the dismissal of the City’s affirmative defenses and affirmative counterclaims based on DBE fraud. The Company does not expect the counterclaims to have any material effect on its consolidated financial statements. Discovery was completed during 2017 and the Company is currently awaiting the establishment of a trial date. ﻿ Management has made an estimate of the total anticipated recovery on this project, and such estimate is included in revenue recorded to date. To the extent new facts become known or the final recovery included in the claim settlement varies from the estimate, the impact of the change will be reflected in the consolidated financial statements at that time. ﻿ Fontainebleau Matter ﻿ Desert Mechanical, Inc. (“DMI”) and Fisk Electric Company (“Fisk”), wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company, were subcontractors on the Fontainebleau Project in Las Vegas (“Fontainebleau”), a hotel/casino complex with approximately 3,800 rooms. In June 2009, Fontainebleau filed for bankruptcy protection, under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, in the Southern District of Florida. ﻿ DMI and Fisk filed liens in Nevada for approximately $44 million, representing unreimbursed costs to date and lost profits, including anticipated profits. Other unaffiliated subcontractors have also filed liens. In June 2009, DMI filed suit against Turnberry West Construction, Inc., the general contractor, in the 8th Judicial District Court, Clark County, Nevada (the “District Court”), and in May 2010, the court entered an order in favor of DMI for approximately $45 million. ﻿ In January 2010, the Bankruptcy Court approved the sale of the property to Icahn Nevada Gaming Acquisition, LLC, and this transaction closed in February 2010. As a result of a July 2010 ruling relating to certain priming liens, there was approximately $125 million set aside from this sale that is available for distribution to satisfy the creditor claims based on seniority. At that time, the total estimated sustainable lien amount was approximately $350 million. The project lender filed suit against the mechanic’s lien claimants, including DMI and Fisk, alleging that certain mechanic’s liens are invalid and that all mechanic’s liens are subordinate to the lender’s claims against the property. The Nevada Supreme Court ruled in October 2012 in an advisory opinion at the request of the Bankruptcy Court that lien priorities would be determined in favor of the mechanic lien holders under Nevada law. ﻿ In October 2013, a settlement was reached by and among the Statutory Lienholders and the other interested parties. The Bankruptcy Court appointed a mediator to facilitate the execution of that settlement agreement, but the parties were unable to settle. During the third quarter of 2017, DMI filed a motion seeking permission to file an action in Nevada; the motion was granted by the Bankruptcy Court. ﻿ Management has made an estimate of the total anticipated recovery on this project, and such estimate is included in revenue recorded to date. To the extent new facts become known or the final recovery included in the claim settlement varies from the estimate, the impact of the change will be reflected in the consolidated financial statements at that time. ﻿ Honeywell Street/Queens Boulevard Bridges Matter ﻿ In 1999, the Company was awarded a contract for reconstruction of the Honeywell Street/Queens Boulevard Bridges project for the City of New York (the “City”). In June 2003, after substantial completion of the project, the Company initiated an action to recover $8.8 million in claims against the City on behalf of itself and its subcontractors. In March 2010, the City filed counterclaims for $74.6 million and other relief, alleging fraud in connection with the DBE requirements for the project. In May 2010, the Company served the City with its response to the City’s counterclaims and affirmative defenses. In August 2013, the Court granted the Company’s motion to dismiss the City’s affirmative defenses and counterclaims relating to fraud. ﻿ In January 2017, the Court granted the City’s motion for summary judgment and dismissed the Company’s claim against the City. The Company has filed a notice of appeal. The Court also granted the Company’s motion for summary judgment for release of retention plus interest from 2010 for an aggregate amount of approximately $1.2 million, which the City paid during the fourth quarter of 2017. ﻿ The Company does not expect ultimate resolution of this matter to have a material effect on its consolidated financial statements. ﻿ Westgate Planet Hollywood Matter ﻿ Tutor-Saliba Corporation (“TSC”), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, was contracted to construct a timeshare development project in Las Vegas, which was substantially completed in December 2009. The Company’s claims against the owner, Westgate Planet Hollywood Las Vegas, LLC (“WPH”), relate to unresolved owner change orders and other claims. The Company filed a lien on the project in the amount of $23.2 million and filed its complaint with the District Court, Clark County, Nevada. Several subcontractors have also recorded liens, some of which have been released by bonds and some of which have been released as a result of subsequent payment. WPH has posted a mechanic’s lien release bond for $22.3 million. ﻿ WPH filed a cross-complaint alleging non-conforming and defective work for approximately $51 million, primarily related to alleged defects, misallocated costs and liquidated damages. WPH revised the amount of their counterclaims to approximately $45 million. ﻿ Following multiple post-trial motions, final judgment was entered in this matter on March 20, 2014. TSC was awarded total judgment in the amount of $19.7 million on its breach of contract claim, which includes an award of interest up through the date of judgment, plus attorney’s fees and costs. WPH was awarded total judgment in the amount of $3.1 million on its construction defect claims, which includes interest up through the date of judgment. WPH and its Sureties have filed a notice of appeal. TSC has filed a notice of appeal on the defect award. In July 2014, the Court ordered WPH to post an additional supersedeas bond on appeal, in the amount of $1.7 million, in addition to the lien release bond of $22.3 million, which increases the security up to $24.0 million. In May 2017, the Nevada Supreme Court issued its ruling on the appeal by WPH and its Sureties. With only minor adjustments, the Nevada Supreme Court affirmed the lower district court’s judgment, and following further proceedings in the lower district court, the anticipated final recovery to the Company is estimated to exceed $20 million, including interest and recovery of certain attorneys’ fees and costs, of which the Company collected more than $16 million in 2017. In December 2017 and in January 2018, the Court issued several post-appeal orders confirming its previous rulings. ﻿ The Company does not expect ultimate resolution of this matter to have any material effect on its consolidated financial statements. Management has made an estimate of the total anticipated recovery on this project and such estimate is included in revenue recorded to date. To the extent new facts become known or the final recovery included in the claim settlement varies from the estimate, the impact of the change will be reflected in the consolidated financial statements at that time. ﻿ U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Matter ﻿ Rudolph and Sletten, Inc. (“R&S”), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, entered into a contract with the United States Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (“NOAA”) for the construction of a 287,000 square-foot facility for NOAA’s Southwest Fisheries Science Center Replacement Headquarters and Laboratory in La Jolla, California. The contract work began on May 24, 2010 and was substantially completed in September 2012. R&S incurred significant additional costs as a result of design errors and omissions, NOAA’s unwillingness to correct design flaws in a timely fashion and a refusal to negotiate the time and pricing associated with change order work. R&S filed claims against NOAA for contract adjustments related to the unresolved owner change orders, delays, design deficiencies and other claims. ﻿ In March 2017, the parties agreed to a proposed settlement, which was subsequently approved and paid by the government in the third quarter of 2017. The settlement did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial results for the year ended December 31, 2017. ﻿ Five Star Electric Matter ﻿ In the third quarter of 2015, Five Star Electric Corp. ("Five Star"), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company that was acquired in 2011, entered into a tolling agreement (which has since expired) related to an ongoing investigation being conducted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York (“USAO EDNY”). Five Star has been cooperating with the USAO EDNY since late June 2014, when it was first made aware of the investigation, and has provided information requested by the government related to its use of certain minority-owned, women-owned, small and disadvantaged business enterprises and certain of Five Star’s employee compensation, benefit and tax practices. ﻿ As of December 31, 2017, the Company cannot predict the ultimate outcome of the investigation and cannot reasonably estimate the potential loss or range of loss that Five Star or the Company may incur or the impact of the results of the investigation on Five Star or the Company. ﻿ Alaskan Way Viaduct Matter ﻿ In January 2011, Seattle Tunnel Partners (“STP”), a joint venture between Dragados USA, Inc. and the Company, entered into a design-build contract with the Washington State Department of Transportation (“WSDOT”) for the construction of a large diameter bored tunnel in downtown Seattle, King County, Washington to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct, also known as State Route 99. ﻿ The construction of the large diameter bored tunnel required the use of a tunnel boring machine (“TBM”). In December 2013, the TBM struck a steel pipe, installed by WSDOT as a well casing for an exploratory well. The TBM was damaged and was required to be shut down for repair. STP has asserted that the steel pipe casing was a differing site condition that WSDOT failed to properly disclose. The Disputes Review Board mandated by the contract to hear disputes issued a decision finding the steel casing was a Type I differing site condition. WSDOT has not accepted that finding. ﻿ The TBM was insured under a Builder’s Risk Insurance Policy (the “Policy”) with Great Lakes Reinsurance (UK) PLC and a consortium of other insurers (the “Insurers”). STP submitted the claims to the Insurers and requested interim payments under the Policy. The Insurers refused to pay and denied coverage. In June 2015, STP filed a lawsuit in the King County Superior Court, State of Washington (“Washington Superior Court”) seeking declaratory relief concerning contract interpretation, as well as damages as a result of the Insurers’ breach of their obligations under the terms of the Policy. WSDOT is deemed a plaintiff since WSDOT is an insured under the Policy and had filed its own claim for damages. Hitachi Zosen (“Hitachi”), the manufacturer of the TBM, has also joined the case as a plaintiff for costs incurred to repair the damages to the TBM. Trial is scheduled for October 2018. Discovery is ongoing. ﻿ In March 2016, WSDOT filed a complaint against STP in Thurston County Superior Court for breach of contract alleging STP’s delays and failure to perform and declaratory relief concerning contract interpretation. STP filed its answer to WSDOT’s complaint and filed a counterclaim against WSDOT and Hitachi. Trial is set for April 2019. Discovery is ongoing. ﻿ As of December 31, 2017, the Company has concluded that the potential for a material adverse financial impact due to the Insurers’ denial of coverage and WSDOT’s legal actions is neither probable nor remote, and the potential loss or range of loss is not reasonably estimable. With respect to STP’s claims against the Insurers, WSDOT and Hitachi, management has included an estimate of the total anticipated recovery, concluded to be both probable and reliably estimable, in receivables or costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings recorded to date. To the extent new facts become known or the final recoveries vary from the estimate, the impact of the change will be reflected in the financial statements at that time.

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