Demand Transparency and Accountability
Sign the petition for legislative oversight of MassDOT’s 35-year service plaza lease.
What Happened
In September 2024, MassDOT launched a bidding process for 18 highway service plazas along the Massachusetts Turnpike.
Global Partners—a fourth-generation Massachusetts-based company—submitted a proposal that offered:
- $1.5 billion in guaranteed rent
- Partnership with local businesses like Commonwealth Kitchen that support diverse and local food entrepreneurs
- A $650 million investment in clean, modern facilities and sustainable operations
But in April 2025, there were last-minute rule changes that dramatically altered the process: extending the lease from 30 to 35 years, slashing insurance requirements, and removing key financial safeguards, all benefiting private equity bidders.
In June 2025, despite concerns about transparency and with one-sided and skewed information, the MassDOT Board voted to award the contract to Applegreen/Blackstone, a foreign majority private equity-owned company with a troubling track record. Board members voiced unease, yet the decision moved forward anyway without a full side-by-side review of proposals.
Even more troubling, MassDOT’s Chief Development Officer and Chair of the Selection Committee presented misleading financial figures, leaving the public without a clear explanation of how the final decision was made.
Why It Matters
This isn’t just a contract—it affects every Massachusetts resident.
Massachusetts deserves a fair, open, and accountable process that puts public good first.
Our Vision for Massachusetts
Global Partners’ proposal would create world-class service plazas designed for Massachusetts travelers, families, and businesses.
Hear directly from our CEO and community partners about the future we’re still fighting for.
The Real Numbers: What MassDOT Isn’t Telling You
MassDOT awarded a 35-year contract that leaves nearly a BILLION dollars in guaranteed revenue on the table. Here’s what the bids really offered versus what the public was told.
- Global offered the Commonwealth $1.5 billion in guaranteed rent. Applegreen offered a variable payment structure that—at best—could yield $994 million. At worst? The state walks away with $623 million. The minimum gap is $517 million. The potential loss to taxpayers: nearly $900 million.
- The Capital Investment that MassDOT is hanging their hat on is based on ESTIMATED numbers and represents an estimated difference of $101 million. Meaning Global plans to invest $649 million and Applegreen plans $750 million (estimated and by Applegreen’s own admission “subject to change”).
- Global offered a superior commitment to Supplier Diversity, 5% of contract value, with a goal of 15%. Applegreen offered the bare minimum of just 2%.
This is just the top-line comparison. The full side-by-side tells why the state’s decision doesn’t add up.
Who We Are
Global is a Massachusetts company with a 90-year legacy.
We live here. We work here. We hire here. We reinvest here—fueling schools, emergency services, and families.
We have a long history serving travelers along the Pike—but at most service areas, we are not the master tenant. That means we have limited ability to influence current site operations or invest in improvements. At four locations in Bridgewater, Beverly, and Barnstable, we stepped up as master tenant when others walked away. We kept the doors open, maintained service, and supported local jobs. We even offered to extend our leases so we could invest in upgrades, but MassDOT declined.
This RFP was our chance to deliver the best value for taxpayers, create local jobs, and build a sustainable future for these plazas that Massachusetts residents can be proud of.
Clean, modern facilities. Fresh, locally sourced food. Partnerships with beloved Massachusetts businesses. This was the future we proposed for the Mass Pike—and the future we’re still fighting for.
What Can You Do?
MassDOT awarded a 35-year lease for public service plazas without a clear, transparent comparison of the bids. We’re asking the Legislature to demand:
- Oversight hearings into how this decision was made and why an opaque RFP process was used
- A full public release of all scoring and financial assumptions
- Answers on why nearly a billion dollars in guaranteed revenue was left behind
You can help:
Join thousands calling for transparency and accountability.
Tell your representatives to investigate and protect public trust.
Every signature, every message matters. The more voices they hear, the harder it is to ignore this call for action.
Make Your Voice Heard
Demand Transparency and Accountability - Sign the petition for legislative oversight of MassDOT's 35-year service plaza lease.