Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Sprint suing All Aboard Florida
Lawsuit claims money is due for moving fiber optic cables for Brightline project
Sprint wants All Aboard Florida to pay up.
The communications company has filed a lawsuit in Miami federal court against the parent-company of Brightline and a second company with ties to Florida East Coast Industries.
According to the lawsuit, Sprint billed All Aboard Florida and FDG Flagler Station II $882,767.24 on Sept. 6 after agreeing to relocate some of its fiber optic cables as part of the infrastructure improvements for the Brightline high speed passenger rail service expected to launch in the fall.
Sprint said it received a partial payment of $236,500.84 on Nov. 23 and nothing more.
The breach of contract lawsuit seeks the $646,266.40 balance plus interest, damages, reasonable attorney fees, associated expenses and court costs. Sprint has requested a jury trial. There was no indication AAF or FDG had responded to the lawsuit, but a Brightline official said Thursday the company does not comment on pending litigation.
If AAF or FDG had a dispute with any of the invoices for the cost of the fiber optic relocation, the lawsuit says they still had to pay within 30 days then notify Sprint of the disputed charges in writing.
Sprint said it signed a lease agreement in 1984 to run its fiber optic communications system along a portion of the Florida East Coast Railway tracks between Miami and Jacksonville and between Cocoa Beach and Orlando.
Court documents state AAF asked Sprint to shift some of its cables to make way for Brightlinerelated construction between Miami and West Palm Beach.
Sprint says it signed an agreement with AAF and FDG in 2015 that would stop any Brightline preparations within 10 feet of the Sprint cables if the bills were not paid.
The estimated $3 billion Brightline project promises to whisk commuters and tourists between