Privatization of Puerto Rico Airport Spurs Lobbying Effort

With Puerto Rico moving to privatize its largest airport, a Brazilian company that operates restaurants in Latin American airports has enlisted the lobbying help of some of Alston & Bird's biggest names in Washington.

International Meal Co., which does business in Puerto Rico as Airport Shoppes Corp., is using more than a half-dozen Alston lobbyists, including former Senator Bob Dole (R-Kan.), former Representatives Billy Tauzin (R-La.) and Earl Pomeroy (D-N.D.), and four other Alston lobbyists to advocate for it on the U.S. commonwealth's privatization plan for San Juan's Luís Muñoz Marín International Airport and "related federal issues," according to lobbying registration paperwork the law firm filed with Congress on Friday. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration this year is expected to approve a $2.6 billion deal that would allow Puerto Rico to hand over the airport's operations to Aerostar Airport Holdings LLC.

But International Meal has concerns about the agreement.

Juan Comulada, International Meal's chief operating officer, said in September that hundreds, if not thousands, of jobs would disappear with the privatization of the airport, Puerto Rican newspaper El Nuevo Día reported. He said Aerostar would close some of the airport's terminals, including one that houses International Meal's Margaritaville restaurant.

Dole, a special counsel at Alston; Tauzin, a senior legislative counsel; and Pomeroy, a senior counsel, weren't immediately available for comment. The other Alston lobbyists on the account also couldn't immediately be reached for comment. They are partner Robert Jones and counsel Jeffrey Sural, as well as senior policy advisers Robert Siggins and Robert Holifield.

International Meal hasn't had federal lobbyists before, according to congressional records that date to 1999.

Comments

[Michael Martinez]

The news here is that the governor of PR has sold the airport to Venezuela and there goes all the jobs and related to the economy of PR from the airport. I used to work there and I don't see the need to sell and privatizing the Puertorican from having an International Airport.

[Ashley Casas]

Yes, big names indeed. Although we have yet to see if these names will affect the Puerto Rican government.

[Houston DWI Lawyer]

I'm surprised they pulled in so many big name lobbyists. The Puerto Rican government must feel extremely intimidated, and I hope it doesn't cost Puerto Ricans their livelihoods if the privatization goes through.