By alley - Sep 22, 2017, 9:51 AM ET

Boston GP organizer sues city for $15.5m

For a race that never actually took place, the Boston Grand Prix sure won't go away. Peacefully, at least.

Former BGP CEO John Casey, who allegedly took approximately $1 million in compensation from the organization and used those funds to cover personal expenses over an 18-month period leading up to the cancelled 2016 IndyCar street race, is suing the city for damages.

In a complaint filed in Suffolk Superior Court, Casey is asking for $15.5 million in damages, according to Boston's

WGBH

. He claims that Austin Blackmon, Boston's Chief of Environment, Energy and Open Space, "waited six months to reveal changes to a Federal Emergency Management Association flood map that affected the race circuit – thereby creating permitting problems that Casey says caused the proposed event to fail."

BGP, after cancelling the event, promptly filed for bankruptcy. The Verizon IndyCar Series, which was not involved in the promotion of the event, stepped in after its cancellation to cover almost $1 million in tickets sold by BGP.

From court documents revealed in December, Casey's lack of financial control over the event were brought to light. Determining exactly how much he was paid, how much was received from corporate sponsors, ticket buyers, and how much was owed proved to be a challenge:

Attorney: "There were no other books and records that Boston Grand Prix kept for the company?"

Casey: "No."

Attorney: "Did you keep a log of invoices that came in?"

Casey: "No, I did not."

Attorney: "So you kept a list of accounts payable in your head?"

Casey: "Yes."

Following the Boston debacle, IndyCar has been more careful in vetting new promoters and events. The only new addition to its calendar in 2017, an oval event at Gateway Motorsports Park promoted by its new owner, was widely seen as a big success.