BOSTON — Nearly a billion dollars in guaranteed taxpayer revenue is on the line — and a Massachusetts state agency is being hauled into court for trying to hide the paperwork.

Waltham-based Global Partners dropped a legal bombshell this week, suing MassDOT in Suffolk Superior Court and accusing the agency of willfully breaking Massachusetts Public Records Law to cover up how it snubbed a $1.512 billion local offer in favor of a foreign, private-equity-backed operator promising $750 million in construction upgrades — but no guaranteed floor for revenue.

The 35-year contract for 18 highway service plazas was awarded in June to Dublin-based Applegreen, bankrolled by Wall Street titan Blackstone Infrastructure Partners. Global says that decision could shortchange taxpayers by close to $1 billion — and that MassDOT is now racing to sign the deal by early November before the public learns the truth.

Industry chatter now suggests the timeline could move up even further — with talk that MassDOT might try to lock in the contract as soon as September, weeks ahead of the publicized November deadline.

“This is a blatant attempt to run out the clock on transparency,” said Eric Slifka, Global’s CEO. “MassDOT is stonewalling the public’s right to know while rushing to lock in a decades-long deal that could cost taxpayers nearly $1 billion in lost guaranteed revenue.”

The smoking gun records MassDOT won’t hand over

Global’s lawsuit says MassDOT is flat-out ignoring four formal records requests filed since June. The missing materials include:

• Emails and calls between Selection Committee Chair Scott Bosworth and Applegreen, Blackstone, and Suffolk Construction
• Conflict-of-interest disclosures and recusals
• Messages between MassDOT decision-makers about KPMG’s revenue review of the competing proposals

The complaint also accuses Bosworth of a series of red-flag moves:

• Allegedly seeking employment with Blackstone before the RFP was even issued
• Steering through five post-issuance bid changes that tilted the process toward private-equity bidders
• Giving Global just one hour’s notice before pushing the committee’s recommendation to approve Applegreen
• Failing to tell the board about Applegreen’s troubled $450 million New York rest stop overhaul while praising their qualifications

“MassDOT’s conduct threatens the integrity of the entire procurement process,” said Sean Geary, Global’s chief legal officer. “The agency has ignored the law, brushed aside red flags, and kept the public in the dark while barreling toward a signing deadline.”

A deal with baggage

Applegreen’s New York project is still making headlines — and not the good kind. Bond rater Fitch flagged delays and kept a Negative Outlook on the concession company. Contractors have begged for financial relief to finish the work. Travelers have complained about poor food options and awkward layouts as renovated stops reopen.

Critics warn Massachusetts is about to invite the same headaches — with a foreign operator and Wall Street cash using a “turn and burn” model: cut costs, squeeze profits, and flip assets when the shine wears off.

Beacon Hill heat

The Senate Post Audit and Oversight Committee, led by Sen. Mark Montigny, has opened its own probe into the Applegreen award. Lawmakers and community leaders are demanding both bids, full scoring sheets, and the KPMG comparison be made public — side-by-side — so voters can see exactly what was traded away.

MassDOT’s line

MassDOT insists the process was competitive, that it has released over 1,200 pages of documents, and that Applegreen offered the best value and fastest rebuild plan. Applegreen says current plaza workers will keep their jobs when operations switch over Jan. 1, 2026.

Bottom line

A 35-year control of prime public infrastructure is about to be signed away — possibly at a cost of nearly $1 billion to taxpayers. If MassDOT is right, proving it is as simple as releasing the documents. If Global is right, Massachusetts is being played. Either way, the clock is ticking — and with whispers of a September signing, the public’s window to see the math before the ink dries may be closing even faster than expected.