FCCFA Ends Contract With Company Tied To Raphael

The Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority has ended its food service contract with Centerplate, a company with ties to the City Hall lobbyist at the heart of the Redflex bribery scandal. Authority director Don Brown says collusion was involved in the awarding of the contract two years ago, when lobbyist John Raphael was a member of the authority's board. Raphael was also being paid by Centerplate. These issues are under investigation by federal and state authorities, along with the company's payments to convention center manager Rodney Myers, who the board has dismissed. Rafael was convicted earlier this year of extortion in the Redflex case and is awaiting sentencing.