MOSCOW, January 19 - RAPSI, Alyona Yegorova. A court has scheduled March 6 to hear a $151.6 million lawsuit filed by businessman Shalva Chigirinsky's ST Development against the Moscow government, the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI/rapsinews.com) reported on Thursday.

The lawsuit centers upon a contract for Rossiya hotel renovation signed in December 20, 2004 and an investment contract dated July 31, 2006.

ST Development sued Moscow government in 2009 for 3.159 billion rubles ($102.4 million) in damages. The developer later increased its claim. The defendants in the case are the Moscow's Economic Policy and Development Department and the Finance Department.

The case was suspended in January 2010 until the completion of proceedings in ST Development's suit regarding the effects of the hotel renovation contract invalidity and charging the Moscow government 4.093 billion rubles ($129.7 million).

The Moscow Commercial Court held against the lawsuit in February 2010 and the higher courts upheld the judgment.

ST Development, the project's major investor, started dismantling Rossiya hotel in February 2006. The developer planned to build a new multi-purpose complex designed by British architect Norman Foster. However, the company had to freeze the project after Chigirinsky faced serious financial troubles in 2008.