May 14, 2009 10:45 pm US/Eastern
I-Team: Massport Spends Big On Business Trips
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
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Massport is under fire for taking costly business trips during hard economic times.
WBZ
If you like staying at nice hotels, you should work for Massport.
The I-Team has been investigating 2008 travel records at the Authority and found the executives who run Logan Airport and the Tobin Bridge often stay at some of the finest resorts when they travel on business.
As you pay your $4.50 toll coming into Boston on the Tobin Bridge, do you ever find your self day-dreaming of staying at a luxurious hotel?
That is where some of your toll money is going even though you are not.
PRICEY TRAVEL IN HARD ECONOMIC TIMES
For example, The Fountaine Bleau, a magnificent resort on Miami Beach, The Gaylord Texan resort outside Dallas and the Fairmont's Le Chateau in Quebec were just some of the top shelf places Massport executives stayed in 2008 while traveling on airport business.
David Tureck is the Executive Director of the Beacon Hill Institute, a conservative government watch dog group.
"My reaction is this is what you would expect from any organization where the people who running it are spending someone else's
money," Tureck said.
And spend they did.
Massport's travel budget for 2008 was $750,000.
Executives dolled out big bucks for rooms at Ritz Carltons from Virginia to Denver to Las Vegas.
MASSPORT DEFENDS SPENDING
The I-Team, using the
Freedom of Information Act obtained copies of travel receipts for last year.
Massport would not allow its top executives to talk to us on camera about their travel expenses.
They did however provide a spokesperson.
Shortsleeve pointed out "it's the Ritz, it's the Four Seasons, it's the Fountain Bleau, it's the most beautiful hotels in the country."
Massport spokesperson Matt Brelis responded, "For the most part our employees are staying at the hotel or facility where the conference is being held."
And Brelis is right - for the most part.
But last March, Port Director Mike Leone attended a three-night conference in Miami at that city's convention center.
He could have stayed anywhere.
He chose to stay two miles up the road at a high end resort on the Miami Beach for eight nights.
Total cost for the conference, airfare, hotel, and some meals: $3,500.
Shortsleeve asked Brelis, "That conference was at the Miami Conference Center -- was it necessary to stay at the Fountain Bleau on Miami Beach?"
Brelis responded, "I think he got a very reasonable rate on the room."
He paid $383 a night.
Leone took two other extended trips to conferences in Alaska and Quebec.
His seven trips in 2008 cost Massport $13,000.
Business practices like these have been frustrating House Minority Leader Brad Jones for years.
"The excesses have cost toll payers, rate payers tens of thousands of dollars if not millions of dollars if you go back and take a much longer view," Jones said.
Speaking of longer views, John Pranckevicious, Massport's Director of Administration and Finance, takes business trips overseas.
One of his trips took him to London, England last May.
He spent three nights at The Grosvenor Marriott to negotiate insurance rates.
The hotel bill with airfare and without dinners was $4,100.
And then there is Gail Titus, Massport's Director of Internal Auditing.
She attended three professional conferences in nine months, including a three night stay in Scottsdale, Arizona last December.
Total cost for her three trips: $5,100.
And Massport's Director of Communications Danny Levy traveled all the way to San Francisco last July just to learn more about a public art display.
Her stay at the Hyatt Regency totaled $1,500.
Brelis pointed out that trip took place "before the economy tanked."
Shortsleeve added, "Meaning that you would not take that trip today?"
Brelis answered, "A trip like that would be looked at very differently in this current economic climate."
DO PRICEY BUSINESS TRIPS PAY OFF?
While Massport has been successful attracting three new airlines and a new cargo line to Boston, David Tureck says independent public authorities like Massport are just simply out of touch.
"They don't have stock holders to be accountable like businesses do. They don't have to worry about a bottom line like the private sector," Tureck said.
"They have all the advantages of a private sector firm without any of the responsibilities."
Like the one drivers have when they have to pay a toll or some of the highest parking rates in the country.
Massport's Executive Director Tom Kinton only took three short trips out of town in 2008 for a total of four nights.
While he stayed at some beautiful places including a Ritz and a Four Seasons his total expenses were relatively low -- about $4,000.
Massport says it is important that executives promote and market the airport around the country.
Massport says the only reason they have three new airlines and a new cargo line in the harbor is because they travel.
After the I-Team requested the 2008 travel records Brelis said the Authority would be cutting the 2009 travel budget by 30-percent because of our tough economic times.
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