Contractor Behind Paul E. Joseph Stadium Project Facing Multiple Lawsuits From Unpaid Vendors

GEC, LLC—the contractor for the Paul E. Joseph Stadium—faces over $330,000 in court judgments from at least five vendors alleging non-payment, with garnishments now in effect as lawmakers question the firm’s viability and project completion timeline

John Wessel, managing member of GEC, LLC—the contractor overseeing construction of the long-delayed Paul E. Joseph Stadium on St. Croix—is currently facing lawsuits from at least five companies, all of which claim they were not paid for services rendered. The lawsuits, which collectively amount to more than $330,000 in judgments, add yet another layer of controversy to the already embattled project.

During a six-hour Senate Committee on Culture, Youth, Aging, Sports, and Parks hearing on Friday, Senator Franklin Johnson raised the issue, stating, “Approximately three companies as we speak here today have this company in court for payment for this stadium.” Neither Wessel nor Department of Property and Procurement Commissioner Lisa Alejandro could confirm or deny the assertion at the time. In truth, the number of cases is even higher.

Court records show that in January 2024, Atlantic Maintenance & Trucking Services, which is currently suing GEC, requested that its case be consolidated with four others filed by small contractors who also allege they were not paid. These lawsuits detail non-payment for a range of services including equipment rentals, waste and material hauling, and other contracted work.

Four of the five lawsuits were filed in 2023, with default judgments entered against GEC in each case. The fifth was filed in 2019 and resulted in a summary judgment in favor of the plaintiff. All five cases are now subject to writs of garnishment, meaning GEC’s assets—including any funds held by banks or other third parties—can be seized to satisfy the debts.