One more contract for ESD, with law firm Carter Ledyard, for transactional documents in new project plan. Total cumulative consultant tab likely to exceed $66 million.

As Atlantic Yards plans percolate, Empire State Development (ESD), the state authority that oversee/shepherds the project, has now signed its third consultant and second law firm.

As previously reported, ESD approved a $2 million-plus contract with consultant AKRF to prepare the planned Second Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SSEIS) needed to consider proposed project modifications.

ESD in February approved extension of a contract, up to $500,000. with the law firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, to advise on land use and environmental issues, including the SSEIS.

A new contract

And on March 26 ESD approved a new two-year contract, up to $750,000, with the law firm Carter Ledyard & Milburn for help in drafting the emerging deal with developers Cirrus Workforce Housing and LCOR.

"Legal services relating to negotiating and drafting modified and/or new Project documents will be needed as ESD and the new development team move forward with Phase II, after consideration and approval of any modifications to the General Project Plan and the required environmental review," according to Board Materials.

"The Firm would provide legal services to ESD on real estate and land use issues, including related to negotiating and drafting modified or restated transactional documents for Phase II of the Project, such as development agreements, leases, and other necessary documents."

Note that Carter Ledyard has not previously worked on the project. Previously representing ESD on real-estate matters was the firm Skadden Arps, earning more than $13.8 million, among $63.4 million in spending on consultants, as of July 2025.

The developer pays

The funding source for all is a developer-funded imprest account. So likely more than $3 million will be spent, and possibly more, on top of that $63.4 million

Why can't anyone fund consultants for the public?

Note: ESD won't meet this month, so the next meeting is Thursday, May 21.