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Thomas D. Bridenbaugh

Partner

Tom Bridenbaugh represents both private and governmental entities in a broad range of business transactions and government contracts. He has significant experience in the areas of real estate and commercial development, construction, and sports and entertainment. 

Major clients in the DC area have turned to Tom for help negotiating professional sports stadiums, implementing multibillion-dollar infrastructure initiatives, and securing a range of government contracts, including for public-private partnerships. 

Representative Experience

  • Represented Events DC (the official Washington convention and sports authority) in connection with the development and construction of the Entertainment and Sports Arena, a multipurpose venue capable of hosting basketball, sporting, music, esports, and other events. The facility also serves as the home court for a WNBA franchise and the training center for an NBA franchise.
  • Represented a local government in connection with the development of a new Major League Soccer stadium. This engagement included:
    • Negotiating both the terms of a letter of intent between the government and the MLS franchise.
    • Leading the negotiations over the definitive development agreement and ground lease implementing the transaction.
    • Leading the acquisition negotiations with multiple land owners holding property at the proposed stadium site.
    • Negotiating several complicated easements with local utility companies allowing the stadium to be built over and around major utility infrastructure.
  • Represented a municipal corporation in connection with a 10-year, $3.5 billion modernization of more than 100 public schools, parks and recreation facilities. This engagement included:
    • Overseeing the development of procurement regulations tailored specifically for a special purpose office within the municipal corporation to implement the program.
    • Developing and managing the procurement of a program management team to assist the office in the modernization effort.
    • Developing the form contacts and agreements used to purchase design, construction, and related services associated with this program. Supervised the negotiation of well in excess of 100 such contracts on a project-by-project basis.
    • Serving as the procurement and legal advisor in connection with approximately $3 billion in new construction and renovation projects that were purchased.
  • Assisted the District of Columbia Sports and Entertainment Commission (DCSEC) in connection with development, construction, and procurement issues related to the renovation of RFK Stadium and the development of a new $611 million ballpark for a Major League Baseball franchise. This engagement included:
    • Serving as procurement advisor to DCSEC in connection with the award of the various contracts necessary to renovate RFK Stadium to serve as an interim home for the franchise.
    • Serving as the legal and procurement advisor to DCSEC in connection with a design-build and completion guarantee agreement pursuant to which a design-build contractor was engaged to design and construct the new ballpark.
    • Representing DCSEC in a wide range of development matters related to the ballpark, including the closing of streets and alleys as well as the negotiation of easements, covenants and memoranda of understanding between various city agencies and other affected parties related to site infrastructure and other development matters. (DCSEC later merged into Events DC.)
  • Served as lead development counsel for the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. He oversaw a team that served as lead development counsel to the convention authority in connection with all of its major contracting actions necessary to develop DC's $850 million convention center. Specific assignments have included:
    • Advising the authority in connection with purchasing of the prime construction contract and drafting the same.
    • Developing the request for proposals and contract documents necessary to hire a contractor to finance, design, build, and operate the central plant for that facility.
    • Developing the request for proposals and contract documents for a contractor to finance, design, install, and operate all of the facility's technology and telecommunications systems.
    • Advising the authority in connection with the procurements for various professional services, including engineers, program managers, traffic consultants, etc.
    • Served as lead counsel in connection with the street and alley closing process that, at that time, was the largest street and alley closing in the District's history.
  • Served as special real estate counsel to a public-private partnership charged with redeveloping approximately 80 acres located in Baltimore, Maryland. In this capacity, he structured the process by which a master developer was selected to develop a 20-acre parcel. He also assisted the public-private partnership in negotiating the terms of the land disposition agreement with the City of Baltimore.
  • Represented a local housing authority in the negotiations related to the creation of a public-private partnership to redevelop a multifamily housing project. The development plan contemplated that the site would be redeveloped as a mixed-use site funded, in part, by low-income housing tax credits.
  • Represented a legislatively chartered government real estate development entity in connection with its formation and several of its first real estate transactions. This engagement included helping the corporation to develop and obtain legislative approval for its revitalization plan as well as drafting various policies and procedures (ethics, procurement, etc.) necessary to govern the corporation's operations.
  • Represented a local water authority in connection with a wide range of procurement matters, including bid protests, structuring procurements, and drafting contract documents and procurement policies.
  • Represented a nonprofit developer in connection with the renovation and resale of a public housing project located in the District of Columbia. He negotiated a design-build-finance agreement to renovate the public housing project. The agreement contemplated that the developer would rehabilitate the project and resell condominium units to low-income individuals.

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