from one worked in the design/build industry in NYC andcwith contracts across the USA and in foreign countries.
And zoning issues with variances and other issues “at the discretion of the (insert ruling authority)” were at the apex of the political aspects.
The “pay off” isn't always directly monetary. Giving up prime ground floor rental space to community organizers to expedite or gain approvals is but one of the back door way for pols to reward their money and vote supports. When the cost of money is high and the project is very large the cost of added weeks quickly runs into six figures and up per month.
People who haven't been involved in such large scale projects are totally unaware of the administrative approval trees and the rather subtle manner in which required reviews can be delayed for months or years.
Even the very smart and capable contractors and developers can suffer losses depending on the high profile issues of the day and the political winds. An illustrative example is the JFK Memorial Library in Dorchester Mass. Originally intended to be sited on Harvard's grounds, the alma mater of so many Kennedys, it endured ten years or so of delays before being re-sited to its final resting place.
Thanks. Sounds like you operate at Trump’s end of the scale, or at least a lot further in that direction than most builders.