Mayer Brown advises on three transactions named 2013 Project Finance “Deals of the Year” in North America and Latin America regions

Mayer Brown, a leading global law firm, provided legal counsel on three transactions that Project Finance magazine named 2013 “Deals of the Year” in the North America and Latin America regions. The awards recognize innovation and excellence in energy and infrastructure finance, and are selected by the magazine’s staff of experienced journalists in consultation with influential market participants. The deal winners are:

North American Project Bond and Overall North American Deal of the Year: East End Crossing – Mayer Brown represented WVB East End Partners as sponsors’ counsel on WVB’s public-private partnership with the Indiana Finance Authority to fund the Ohio River Bridges East End Crossing Project, which Project Finance noted was “Indiana’s first ever greenfield PPP.” The financing for the toll bridge and roadway was achieved through the sale of more than $675 million in tax-exempt private activity bonds, which the publication reported was “the largest ever activity bond (PAB) issue for a US PPP.” Project Finance also mentioned that the deal “could serve as a template for other US PPP concessions.” The team included partners David Narefsky, Joseph Seliga, Joanna Horsnail, George Miller and John Lawlor, counsels Richard Ziegler and Joseph Organ, and associates Stephanie Wagner, Mitchell Holzrichter and Sandy Zhang.

North American Transport Deal of the Year: San Juan Airport Privatization – Mayer Brown represented the Puerto Rico Public-Private Partnerships Authority, a public corporation of the government of Puerto Rico, and the Puerto Rico Ports Authority on an approximately $2.6 billion, 40-year lease agreement with Aerostar Airport Holdings LLC to privatize Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan. Project Finance reported that the transaction represents “one of the first significant, large-scale airport privatizations in the US,” and noted that “its successful bond financing reaffirmed the market’s appetite for airport credits.” The team was led by partner John Schmidt and included partners David Narefsky, Joseph Seliga and Simeon Kriesberg and associates Jeromy Cannon and Mitch Holzrichter.

Latin American Wind Deal of the Year: Orosi – Mayer Brown served as lenders’ international counsel to Export-Import a Bank of the United States, FMO (of the Netherlands) and BICSA (a Costa Rican state-affiliated bank) in connection with the US $130 million, 50 megawatt Orosi wind power project in Costa Rica. Located near the city of Liberia, the project includes the construction of a 230 kilovolt, 20 kilometer transmission line and interconnection facilities. Project Finance noted the sophistication of the financing, reporting that the transaction “broke new ground in Costa Rica.” The team included partners Barry Machlin, Paul Astolfi and David Bloom, and associates Nadav Klugman, Robert O'Leary and Alan Beron.

Mayer Brown also advised on two other transactions named 2013 Project Finance Deals of the Year in the Europe and Africa regions, which were announced in February.

Project Finance is a leading source of industry news and in-depth analysis of benchmark deals in the oil and gas, power, renewables, transport and PPP sectors, as well as infrastructure funds, project bonds, water, mining, petrochemicals and telecoms.