here is more about the conflict -- video and a writeup from ny1:
NY Wheel Construction Rolls on During Lawsuit
By Lindsay Tuchman
Thursday, June 22, 2017 at 10:13 AM EDT
While construction on the NY Wheel continues, controversy rolls on.
A lawsuit filed by the Wheel’s developer claims design team Mammoet-Starneth is demanding more money to complete the project and if they don’t get it, they’ll quit the job.
"They can't legally do that, that's what we explained to the court, that this is a unique project and people have to stay on the job and get the project done,” Randy Mastro from the Gibson Dunn law firm representing the NY Wheel said. “This is something that has a huge public benefit component."
The two parties decided to enter mediation and agreed that essential construction will continue, but they must reach a compromise by mid-July.
"But if it doesn’t, at that point the judge will be asked to take the steps necessary to keep the work going,” Mastro said.
more:
http://www.ny1.com/nyc/staten-island...g-lawsuit.html