Amtrak is a rolling master class on government in action, and the latest example is its effort to seize control of Union Station in Washington via the power of eminent domain. In a case being heard in federal district court, the railroad is trying to get the station’s “leasing rights” for $250 million, which the private leaseholder says is about a third of the fair market value.
The railway wants to do a concourse modernization project to add more seating, increase signage in the terminal, and improve infrastructure. In a September hearing before Washington, D.C., federal district Judge Amit Mehta, Amtrak CEO Steven Gardner said that the current leaseholder, a company called USI, isn’t helping the railway accomplish its plans. He complained that there’s “a mismatch” between Amtrak and “a private developer looking to maximize retail and revenue.”
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