County sues engineer over Regional Justice Center, jail

Clark County on Wednesday afternoon filed a lawsuit against Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc., the company that engineered the Regional Justice Center, the Clark County Detention Center and smaller projects with bond funds voters approved in 1996.

The lawsuit, which does not seek a specific amount of damages, accuses the company of “mismanagement from the outset” and cites the severe delays and cost overruns the plagued the projects from the start.

As a result, the lawsuit claims that due to Jacobs’ “gross mismanagement,” Clark County was forced to pay the contractor — AF Construction — $9.6 million for the problems at the detention center. The settlement was mediated in the fall of 2005. An additional $31 million was paid after a bill was presented for time and materials.

The toll for the Regional Justice Center was higher after an arbitration panel awarded $51 million to AF Construction in November 2008.

In addition to the lengthy delays and budget issues, the county alleges Jacobs is responsible for gross technical inaccuracies and construction defects.

Jacobs was awarded the bid in May 1997. In its presentation, the company outlined 51 basic services that would be included in its scope of work. In return, Clark County paid the firm about $18 million: $10 million to engineer the justice center, $5 million to engineer the expansion the county jail across the street, and roughly $3 million on plans to renovate the county’s Department of Family Services and to engineer a youth camp at Spring Mountain. The lawsuit only involves the downtown justice center and jail.

The lawsuit claims Ken Adams, the project manager, misrepresented his education, credentials and experience, and was not qualified to manage the massive project. The county, according to the lawsuit, wholly depended on Jacobs’ representations.

Court papers state Jacobs was aware Adams was underqualified and did not have a bachelor’s degree, was not a civil engineer, and was not certified in project management, yet allowed him to claim he was.

The lawsuit further alleges breach of contract, fiduciary duty and good faith; intentional misrepresentation and professional negligence. In all, the county makes 14 claims against Jacobs.

Attorneys for both sides could not immediately be reached for comment.

Contact Doug McMurdo at dmcmurdo@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-8135.