Alexandra Atiya

Three award-winning PPPs in the US and Russia—countries not traditionally considered favourable to such partnerships— took unique approaches to achieve their closings.

Infrastructure Québec shortlisted three groups to construct a detention centre with 300 cells in the province's Southern Montérégie region. One potential bidder, Fiera Axium, closed its debut Canada infrastructure fund on C$460m earlier this month.

The world’s largest asset manager is partnering with NTR, a Dublin-based renewable energy developer, to launch an invesetment group that will target the renewable power sector. Jim Barry, chief executive of NTR, will become chief investment officer of the new group.

Hong Kong-based Cheung Kong Infrastructure also said it is looking to ‘propel our acquisition momentum forward’ as it studies more than 10 investment opportunities around the world.

The Department of Transportation has given Florida Governor Rick Scott an extra week to consider alternate plans for using the state’s $2.4bn of high-speed rail grants. Citing concerns over cost overruns, Scott has now twice rejected using the funds.

Alex Wong and Scott Tindall have been made partners on the infrastructure, project and public finance team in the London and Singapore offices.

Members of Congress tried to rescue the proposed Florida high-speed rail project, after Governor Rick Scott declined $2.4bn in federal high-speed rail funds last week. But Scott rejected the proposed rescue plans.

Carlyle Group’s $1.15bn infrastructure fund will acquire a 15 percent stake in an Australian logistics company affiliated with Kaplan Funds.

Australian asset manager Access Capital has teamed up with CityView, a real estate fund manager founded by former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Henry Cisneros, to invest in US PPPs and subordinated municipal debt.

The decision by Alameda County Superior Court Judge Wynne Carvill hands a victory to the California Department of Transportation and its private partners, Hochtief and Meridiam, in pursuit of the state's first PPP. However, the vitory may be short-lived, as the engineers' union that challenged the legality of the project is already planning an appeal.