Chris Glynn

A proposal to lease parking in downtown Sacramento gained political heft with a council vote to issue a Request for Qualifications. The potential lease could net the city up to $245m and help keep a beloved professional basketball franchise in town.

A panel at Infrastructure Investor 2011 Americas expounded on the evolution of infrastructure from its contractor industry origins, to the first infrastructure funds from Macquarie, to the current appetite for direct pension investment and long-dated funds.

‘Unique skill set needed’ argued Caisse de dépôt et placement's Macky Tall (pictured). The reward is ‘more control of our portfolio’ Queensland Investment Corporation’s Simon Cheung added at Infrastructure Investor Americas 2011, in New York.

Nahla Azmy is a veteran investor relations official who has worked for NRG Energy and Lehman Brothers. She is joining an energy focused investment firm with $7bn in capital.

With its water service poised for a bleak future, Abbotsford put forth a PPP solution. The stinging backlash cost the city’s mayor his job.

A government council created to examine possible privatisations across the Quaker State has hired Greenhill as an advisor, which could bring onboard former governor Ed Rendell (pictured) and Rob Collins, the team that tried to privatise the Pennsylvania Turnpike in 2008.

The two companies reached commercial close on the $2.1bn project with the state, prompting Governor Robert McDonnell to credit Virginia as an ‘innovator’ capable of making ‘complex public transportation’ possible. Financial close is expected in early 2012.

The deal turns Mitsubishi into the first Japanese company operating an overseas offshore transmission cable. Macquarie sold its 50 percent stake in the UK’s £105m Walney 1 project.

Merchant bank NextEnergy is raising ix:Africa, a socially responsible fund seeking to invest in ‘green’ infrastructure throughout Africa. NextEnergy and South Africa’s IDC are providing seed capital, kicking off a fundraise that should last between 12 and 18 months.

The Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority has issued a Request for Information for a $3.2bn railway project. The authority can fully fund the rail link using public money, but is eyeing project finance to mitigate a needed toll increase to pay for the project.