Polar Park builder to pay $1.9 million over false claims

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WORCESTER, Mass. — The company building Polar Park has agreed to pay nearly $2 million over false claims.

According to Attorney General Maura Healey’s office, Gilbane/Hunt misled the Worcester Redevelopment Authority regarding the contracting out of women and minority-owned businesses.

As part of Gilbane/Hunt’s bid to be the park’s construction manager, they pledged to make “their efforts” to meet the project’s goal of 20% women-owned businesses and minorities and said they would implement a “robust action plan” to ensure these goals were achieved. The AG’s office said that once the project was underway, the company did little to encourage the participation of women and minority-owned businesses and did not track where the spending against the 20% target.

Gilbane/Hunt will pay the state $1.9 million to resolve the allegations. The AG’s office will return $500,000 to the City of Worcester as restitution. The city agreed to use the money to promote the participation of women and minority-owned businesses in government procurement.

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