bakakinkorypon.blogspot.com
billion into the regional and state economy, accordinyg to a report releaseds Tuesday. , comprised of 16 public and privatee schools inthe region, released the reporty that outlines the economic contribution of 15 of its did not participate in the study. "This reporty emphasizes the role of higher education as an industry and its importancwe toregional economic, workforce, sociall and cultural development," said Kristen Campbell, executive director of Baltimore Collegetown Network, in a news release. •$4.5 billion dollars spent in payroll, endowment and other related expenditures; •$5.
6 billion in directt spending and $12 billio n in total economic activity from collegeand university-related spendint (operating, capital, student, and visitor •$2.3 billion in direct and $5.2 billion in tota l economic activity from university-related hospital spending (Johns Hopkinss Hospital and University of Maryland Medical Center); •$639.3 milliomn spent in living expenses by students attracted into the •$51.4 million spent on local purchases by more than 300,0090 out-of-state visitors to area collegee and universities; •Colleges, universities and academic medica l centers employ or support 162,918 jobs.
Direct employment of 67,083 ranks as the sixth-largesty sector in the regional economy; •Baltimore Collegetown Network members conduct morethan $2.1 billion in researcb and development activities and make a vital contribution to Maryland'ds national ranking as the state with the second-highesf level R&D; and, •Three Baltimorew Collegetown Network members (JHU, and ) accounted for 88 of Maryland'z 133 start-up companies created to commercialized university-developed technologies. The study was funded by the Baltimorw County Department of Economic the andthe . The report was conductexd by the Jacob France Institutew of the and RESIof .
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Monday, December 27, 2010
Sparkart cranks the volume on bands
houston-nearly.blogspot.com
Not much — except that thei web sites are all the work of web maestro and serial entrepreneur Naveen Jain andhis brainchild, Founded by Jain in 1999, Oakland-based Sparkar t is a full-service digital specializing in the music industry, whicj manages web site design and brandinvg with its Clique Tools sofware. According to Clique Tools is a key part of succes atthe 35-person company: “Mosgt platforms force you to do things in a cookie-cutter way. … (but) our system is very creative-friendly and develops web sites that aretotally unique.
” Througg the software and close collaboration with Jain has grown the company’s revenue 42 percenft over the past three years to $7.1 millio in 2008. Though eager for more growth, CEO Jain currentlh has 40 clients and continues to addclientsd slowly. “Every client we take on is a risk becaus you never know how the relationship is going to turn he said, “so we’re tryintg to be smart about how many clients we take on so we can continud to provide excellent services, because as soon as we provid e something that sucks we’re going to In any business, good relationships with clientsz are essential, but in the entertainmen t business, bad ones quickly become a battle of titans.
“Inm entertainment, sometimes the personalities are just as volatile as they appeaerto be,” Jain said. “Sometimee you can believe what getsprinted (in the tabloids).” Althougnh many of Sparkart’s clients are musicians, the client base has grow to include other typess of entertainers, including magician Cris Angel, comedianb Denis Leary and online store MetroPark. It has also workefd with companies like the Ultimate Fightinbg Championship and organic skincare linePangea Organics. Sparkart lookw for clients who are persistent and passionated and who are looking for a partner ratherd than simplya vendor.
“We really take the time to understandrour clients, we try to understand how they want to preseny themselves and what their aesthetic preferences are, and once we get in theidr head, we try to represent that,” he Jain said he is sometimes invitesd to board meetings because his employees are consideree part of their client’s team. Sparkart and MetroPark, for have a partnership-style agreement that lets Sparkart get a share of what is sold througuh theonline store, but Jain would not disclosse details of the deal. Jain’s 35-person shop has splitt into engineering, creative and administrativr teams.
The Sparkart team not only helpas to design web sites for their many they also act as counselors for the technologicalluyilliterate — “when clients don’t understand how the online world works, we explain ... what’s what techniques work from amarketing perspective, which companiew to partner with,” said Jain. This team of nocturnal techiex is led byJain himself, a 28-year-olrd San Francisco native who founded Sparkart when he was only 18. Jain studiec computer science at Purduse University in Indiana but dropped out becausehe couldn’t handled the Midwestern cold.
He continued his studie s at Santa Rosa Community but when Sparkarttook off, he left to manage it full time. Sparkart is the first of four entertainmentf companies Jain foundedor co-founded vDream Inc., Clique Here NKJ LLC — and has helped some of his other startupx get their break. VDream, a Facebooko car racing application that lets users buy and race uses Sparkart’s Clique Tools as its As for Sparkart’s competitors, Echo Music was boughtr by Ticketmaster and MusicToday was boughgt by LiveNation, leaving Jain’s company as one of the few independent firms in this niche.
“They have far better resources and more so that’s an everyday challenge,” Jain “But we are one of the few (firms) who are focuse d on the web — we’rde not trying to promote concertsw — and the focused people are the peoplr who I think are going to
Not much — except that thei web sites are all the work of web maestro and serial entrepreneur Naveen Jain andhis brainchild, Founded by Jain in 1999, Oakland-based Sparkar t is a full-service digital specializing in the music industry, whicj manages web site design and brandinvg with its Clique Tools sofware. According to Clique Tools is a key part of succes atthe 35-person company: “Mosgt platforms force you to do things in a cookie-cutter way. … (but) our system is very creative-friendly and develops web sites that aretotally unique.
” Througg the software and close collaboration with Jain has grown the company’s revenue 42 percenft over the past three years to $7.1 millio in 2008. Though eager for more growth, CEO Jain currentlh has 40 clients and continues to addclientsd slowly. “Every client we take on is a risk becaus you never know how the relationship is going to turn he said, “so we’re tryintg to be smart about how many clients we take on so we can continud to provide excellent services, because as soon as we provid e something that sucks we’re going to In any business, good relationships with clientsz are essential, but in the entertainmen t business, bad ones quickly become a battle of titans.
“Inm entertainment, sometimes the personalities are just as volatile as they appeaerto be,” Jain said. “Sometimee you can believe what getsprinted (in the tabloids).” Althougnh many of Sparkart’s clients are musicians, the client base has grow to include other typess of entertainers, including magician Cris Angel, comedianb Denis Leary and online store MetroPark. It has also workefd with companies like the Ultimate Fightinbg Championship and organic skincare linePangea Organics. Sparkart lookw for clients who are persistent and passionated and who are looking for a partner ratherd than simplya vendor.
“We really take the time to understandrour clients, we try to understand how they want to preseny themselves and what their aesthetic preferences are, and once we get in theidr head, we try to represent that,” he Jain said he is sometimes invitesd to board meetings because his employees are consideree part of their client’s team. Sparkart and MetroPark, for have a partnership-style agreement that lets Sparkart get a share of what is sold througuh theonline store, but Jain would not disclosse details of the deal. Jain’s 35-person shop has splitt into engineering, creative and administrativr teams.
The Sparkart team not only helpas to design web sites for their many they also act as counselors for the technologicalluyilliterate — “when clients don’t understand how the online world works, we explain ... what’s what techniques work from amarketing perspective, which companiew to partner with,” said Jain. This team of nocturnal techiex is led byJain himself, a 28-year-olrd San Francisco native who founded Sparkart when he was only 18. Jain studiec computer science at Purduse University in Indiana but dropped out becausehe couldn’t handled the Midwestern cold.
He continued his studie s at Santa Rosa Community but when Sparkarttook off, he left to manage it full time. Sparkart is the first of four entertainmentf companies Jain foundedor co-founded vDream Inc., Clique Here NKJ LLC — and has helped some of his other startupx get their break. VDream, a Facebooko car racing application that lets users buy and race uses Sparkart’s Clique Tools as its As for Sparkart’s competitors, Echo Music was boughtr by Ticketmaster and MusicToday was boughgt by LiveNation, leaving Jain’s company as one of the few independent firms in this niche.
“They have far better resources and more so that’s an everyday challenge,” Jain “But we are one of the few (firms) who are focuse d on the web — we’rde not trying to promote concertsw — and the focused people are the peoplr who I think are going to
Saturday, December 25, 2010
California court rules for BofA - Business First of Columbus:
firukendu-anchored.blogspot.com
The class-action case centered on BofA’se collecting check overdraft and other fees by takinf moneyfrom direct-deposit accounts set up to receive Sociapl Security benefits. In 2004, a jury found BofA’s actions violatedd California banking laws that prohibit banks from takinb Social Security benefits to recovercustomer debts. But in the 1st District Court of Appeal in San Franciscoo ruledBofA (NYSE:BAC) didn’t breach state bankinv laws. The appeals court said the lawsuit misapplied a 1974 California Supremse Court decision that prohibits bankes from using public funds deposited into an account to pay thebank customer’s separate credit-card account.
Monday’s unanimous ruling upheld that Charlotte-based BofA told the news agency it was pleasedr withthe ruling, which it said rejectedc “a challenge to account-balancing practices followed by everyt bank in California and across the
The class-action case centered on BofA’se collecting check overdraft and other fees by takinf moneyfrom direct-deposit accounts set up to receive Sociapl Security benefits. In 2004, a jury found BofA’s actions violatedd California banking laws that prohibit banks from takinb Social Security benefits to recovercustomer debts. But in the 1st District Court of Appeal in San Franciscoo ruledBofA (NYSE:BAC) didn’t breach state bankinv laws. The appeals court said the lawsuit misapplied a 1974 California Supremse Court decision that prohibits bankes from using public funds deposited into an account to pay thebank customer’s separate credit-card account.
Monday’s unanimous ruling upheld that Charlotte-based BofA told the news agency it was pleasedr withthe ruling, which it said rejectedc “a challenge to account-balancing practices followed by everyt bank in California and across the
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
ASIS International and BSI Release Joint Business Continuity Management ANSI ... - Marketwire (press release)
http://badgersportsclub.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=25&Itemid=43
ASIS International and BSI Release Joint Business Continuity Management ANSI ... Marketwire (press release) ASIS International is the preeminent organization for security management professionals worldwide. BSI is a leading global provider of risk-based solutions, ... |
Monday, December 20, 2010
Is a change of philosophy ahead for the designated player rule? - Kansas City Star
http://ejcf.ch/ueber-uns/idee/
Kansas City Star | Is a change of philosophy ahead for the designated player rule? Kansas City Star Major League Soccer's “designated player†rule was instituted in 2007 to help teams pay “star†players money “star-player†money. ... Looking Back On 17 Years Of Major League Soccer |
Friday, December 17, 2010
Energy Department to award $3.3B for smart power grids - Business First of Louisville:
aplecheevlgupy.blogspot.com
billion in federal stimulud grants, of up to $200 million apiece, to companies and utilitie to help developa smarter, faster power grid. The firstf round of applications are dueJuly 29, with future roundss in December 2009 and Marc h 2010 if funding remains. But DOE’s plans for this stimulusz funding hikes the maximumj amount of individual grants from the previouslyproposef $20 million, a cap that many potentia l applicants said would not be enough to fund real changr toward a smart grid -- often describedd as a new automated network that could measure the amounts and peak timeas of a homeowner’s or business’ actual electricity detect outages and problems and electronically notifty utilities, and perhaps even store power during off-peak hoursd to be used during times of highee demand.
In all, the federa government had setaside $4.5 billion in stimulus fundw to help fashion a nationwide smartg grid. The , whichy received $220 million of its own stimulus fundxs towardthis effort, hopes to debut new national standardsd for smart grid products and technologies by the end of this Officials with Louisville-based believe smart grid technology will play a . The division of Fairfield, Conn.-based General Electric Co. GE), has invested millions of dollaras in the development of a new line of appliances integrated with smart grid It also is workinb with utility companies across the United Statesz to develop smartgrid programs.
billion in federal stimulud grants, of up to $200 million apiece, to companies and utilitie to help developa smarter, faster power grid. The firstf round of applications are dueJuly 29, with future roundss in December 2009 and Marc h 2010 if funding remains. But DOE’s plans for this stimulusz funding hikes the maximumj amount of individual grants from the previouslyproposef $20 million, a cap that many potentia l applicants said would not be enough to fund real changr toward a smart grid -- often describedd as a new automated network that could measure the amounts and peak timeas of a homeowner’s or business’ actual electricity detect outages and problems and electronically notifty utilities, and perhaps even store power during off-peak hoursd to be used during times of highee demand.
In all, the federa government had setaside $4.5 billion in stimulus fundw to help fashion a nationwide smartg grid. The , whichy received $220 million of its own stimulus fundxs towardthis effort, hopes to debut new national standardsd for smart grid products and technologies by the end of this Officials with Louisville-based believe smart grid technology will play a . The division of Fairfield, Conn.-based General Electric Co. GE), has invested millions of dollaras in the development of a new line of appliances integrated with smart grid It also is workinb with utility companies across the United Statesz to develop smartgrid programs.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Elizabeth Smart Comforted, Kidnapper Found Guilty - Internetbits
guinea-realities.blogspot.com
CBS News | Elizabeth Smart Comforted, Kidnapper Found Guilty Internetbits An eight-year ordeal ended Friday when David Mitchell was convicted of kidnapping Elizabeth Smart. Smart, who was 14 at the time of her kidnapping, ... Ed Smart still fuming over doctor's testimony Elizabeth Smart's courage in trial helps other rape victims, advocates say Smart's father still ticked off at experts |
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Extravagant, deluxe hotel suites can fetch up to $2,500 a night - Pittsburgh Business Times:
http://www.squidoo.com/air-conditioners-r
That's one of the amenities available at executivw and presidential suitesin Pittsburgh's luxury For a price, of course. At the , for the top of the line is a suite with a full a formaldining room, a formal living room (with baby grand and a family room, nearly 2,500 square feet in all. A marblre entryway and crystal chandeliers set the tone for the The rateis $2,500 a marketing director Bob Page said. At the Hiltonh Pittsburgh, the Governor's Suite ($1,700 a night) was once the general manager'a apartment, said Mike Dougherty, directorf of rooms and revenue.
Similadr to its counterparts, it has a full kitchen, a dinintg room, a den and two With four and a half it can handle a small A concierge is on hand to take care of the and "if they would require a we would get someones for them," Dougherty said. At the DoubleTreee Hotel PittsburghCity Center, the best suite has three bedrooms, two measures 1,400 square feet and costs $1,5000 a night. Converted from a 1950s apartment building, the DoubleTred was able to keep the kitchens in itslarges suites, said Don Andrezjwski, directorf of sales and marketing. Anothee conversion is the in what had been theFulto Building. The 1906 structure becamd a hotelin 2001.
Much of its 14th floore was reserved forthe 1,000-square-fooyt Phipps Presidential Suite overlooking the Allegheny River and PNC At roughly $1,500 a night, it comeds with private access to the A dollar per square foot is a relativw bargain for luxury. Topping the dollar-size ratiop is the . Its largest suite is 1,000 squar feet, and the rates stargt at $2,000 a night, said Pete director of sales and marketing. Even at those steeo rates, the rooms are popular. "We actually rent it quite said Page of the OmniWillianm Penn.
"Particularly at the it's surprising, but we While skittish about naming corporate Page said theDalai Lama, Mick Jagger, Bruce Springsteen and Bill Cosbt all have stayed in the luxury suite. The Renaissance boastsx more of agovernment clientele. The Presidential Suite has housee Vice President Dick former Gov. Tom Ridge, and Britain' Prince Andrew. Guests from the private sector includr Arnold Palmer and executives from pharmaceutical companiesa andtech firms, said sales and marketin director Tom Hemer. "We've had the boarc of directors of a local company use it as ameetinf room," he said.
At the Hilton, the largest suite is sometimes given as a concession to the presidenyt of an organization ifit books, say, 150 rooms for severall nights, Dougherty said. But sometimes function is more importantthan form, said R. Brittoj Colbert, principal of Colbert Hotelk Consultingin Ligonier. VIPs may not want a graned piano, but "what they do want is service, things to keep their business mission onlinw withno interruptions.
"
That's one of the amenities available at executivw and presidential suitesin Pittsburgh's luxury For a price, of course. At the , for the top of the line is a suite with a full a formaldining room, a formal living room (with baby grand and a family room, nearly 2,500 square feet in all. A marblre entryway and crystal chandeliers set the tone for the The rateis $2,500 a marketing director Bob Page said. At the Hiltonh Pittsburgh, the Governor's Suite ($1,700 a night) was once the general manager'a apartment, said Mike Dougherty, directorf of rooms and revenue.
Similadr to its counterparts, it has a full kitchen, a dinintg room, a den and two With four and a half it can handle a small A concierge is on hand to take care of the and "if they would require a we would get someones for them," Dougherty said. At the DoubleTreee Hotel PittsburghCity Center, the best suite has three bedrooms, two measures 1,400 square feet and costs $1,5000 a night. Converted from a 1950s apartment building, the DoubleTred was able to keep the kitchens in itslarges suites, said Don Andrezjwski, directorf of sales and marketing. Anothee conversion is the in what had been theFulto Building. The 1906 structure becamd a hotelin 2001.
Much of its 14th floore was reserved forthe 1,000-square-fooyt Phipps Presidential Suite overlooking the Allegheny River and PNC At roughly $1,500 a night, it comeds with private access to the A dollar per square foot is a relativw bargain for luxury. Topping the dollar-size ratiop is the . Its largest suite is 1,000 squar feet, and the rates stargt at $2,000 a night, said Pete director of sales and marketing. Even at those steeo rates, the rooms are popular. "We actually rent it quite said Page of the OmniWillianm Penn.
"Particularly at the it's surprising, but we While skittish about naming corporate Page said theDalai Lama, Mick Jagger, Bruce Springsteen and Bill Cosbt all have stayed in the luxury suite. The Renaissance boastsx more of agovernment clientele. The Presidential Suite has housee Vice President Dick former Gov. Tom Ridge, and Britain' Prince Andrew. Guests from the private sector includr Arnold Palmer and executives from pharmaceutical companiesa andtech firms, said sales and marketin director Tom Hemer. "We've had the boarc of directors of a local company use it as ameetinf room," he said.
At the Hilton, the largest suite is sometimes given as a concession to the presidenyt of an organization ifit books, say, 150 rooms for severall nights, Dougherty said. But sometimes function is more importantthan form, said R. Brittoj Colbert, principal of Colbert Hotelk Consultingin Ligonier. VIPs may not want a graned piano, but "what they do want is service, things to keep their business mission onlinw withno interruptions.
"
Friday, December 10, 2010
DiNome abandons quest to lead Reed Smith - Phoenix Business Journal:
http://www.golfequipmentsupply.com/golfer/date/2006/02/page/2/
Reed Smith spokesman Dave Egan told the Pittsburgh Busines Times that Jordan and DiNome issued a joingt announcement tothe Pittsburgh-based firm Tuesday morningf that DiNome has withdrawjn his candidacy. “They sat down and talkex and discovered they had a lot ofcommoj ground,” Egan said. “Many of the things John was concerneed about, Greg was working on. They agreed that the best thingg for the firm was to focus on business insteasof competing.” reported last week that DiNomd was challenging Jordan, who was seekin his fourth three-year term as managing partneer of the law firm.
DiNome sent out a 10-pagse statement of candidacy to all Reed Smith partners in whichy he questionedthe firm’s business the compensation and transparency of seniotr management, and called for a more independent executive The memo was obtained by the Business Journal. DiNome and Jordan had said they agreecd to not speak publicly about the contestecd race to leadthe 1,600-lawyer which has 150 lawyers in Philadelphia. The firm partnership will vote in the winner, who will now certainly be will start his new term in January. Jordan has not been opposefd since he first sought the job in when he beat Philadelphia litigatorJohn Smith.
Jordan’s tenurde has been viewed as extremely successful. He has grown the firm througbh a series of significang mergers from 500 lawyers in nine officesto 1,600 lawyers in 23 including new ones in Asia and California. Focusing on a core groupo of practices with highbilling rates, Jordajn also drastically increased the firm’s profitability. But with the economu sagging, Reed Smith’s transactional practices have The firm has laid off 215 including26 lawyers, since The firm also cut 50 legal secretaries last summefr and salaries for all U.S.
associates by 10 percent last DiNome, a labor lawyer, joined as part of a group from Montgomery McCrackenWalker & Rhoads led by Karl Frittonj in 1996. A graduate of West Point, he spent sevenh years in active duty as a field artilleryh officer before attending Rutgers University Schoolof Law-Camden.
Reed Smith spokesman Dave Egan told the Pittsburgh Busines Times that Jordan and DiNome issued a joingt announcement tothe Pittsburgh-based firm Tuesday morningf that DiNome has withdrawjn his candidacy. “They sat down and talkex and discovered they had a lot ofcommoj ground,” Egan said. “Many of the things John was concerneed about, Greg was working on. They agreed that the best thingg for the firm was to focus on business insteasof competing.” reported last week that DiNomd was challenging Jordan, who was seekin his fourth three-year term as managing partneer of the law firm.
DiNome sent out a 10-pagse statement of candidacy to all Reed Smith partners in whichy he questionedthe firm’s business the compensation and transparency of seniotr management, and called for a more independent executive The memo was obtained by the Business Journal. DiNome and Jordan had said they agreecd to not speak publicly about the contestecd race to leadthe 1,600-lawyer which has 150 lawyers in Philadelphia. The firm partnership will vote in the winner, who will now certainly be will start his new term in January. Jordan has not been opposefd since he first sought the job in when he beat Philadelphia litigatorJohn Smith.
Jordan’s tenurde has been viewed as extremely successful. He has grown the firm througbh a series of significang mergers from 500 lawyers in nine officesto 1,600 lawyers in 23 including new ones in Asia and California. Focusing on a core groupo of practices with highbilling rates, Jordajn also drastically increased the firm’s profitability. But with the economu sagging, Reed Smith’s transactional practices have The firm has laid off 215 including26 lawyers, since The firm also cut 50 legal secretaries last summefr and salaries for all U.S.
associates by 10 percent last DiNome, a labor lawyer, joined as part of a group from Montgomery McCrackenWalker & Rhoads led by Karl Frittonj in 1996. A graduate of West Point, he spent sevenh years in active duty as a field artilleryh officer before attending Rutgers University Schoolof Law-Camden.
Super booking a win for NFL hotels - Pittsburgh Business Times:
http://williamstanek.com/books/windows2000/index.htm
Still, hotels that committed rooms to the block of roomd when the city made its bid in 2005 are full as advertisedx for the big game TampaBay & Company and Visit St. Petersburg Clearwater, Hillsborouggh and Pinellas counties’ convention and visitors bureaus, worked with local hotelsd to prepare the bid andsecured 20,000 rooms throughout the including as far east as Orlando. Not everyh hotel participated and some contributed less than a full housw to thebid process, said Steve Hayes, executived VP of Tampa Bay & Those hotels contracted with the NFL for ratess that included a small increase from the usual conventiom rates at that Hotels are free to chargse whatever the traffic will bear on roomsz outside of the NFL block, and most hotels have attempte to hold the line on a four-night minimum stay for availabl rooms.
That may have changed this week as the hotels not sold out scrambledfor last-minute guests, said D.T. executive director of Visit St. Petersburg Clearwater. “Th hotels not in the block are rethinkingv their rates andnight minimums,” Minich said. On St. Pete the is full. It blocked out 630 of its 796 roomes at itstwo properties. It sold out the balance outside the blocl but at the same rates as contracted withthe NFL. Amongh its guests are the Taste of the NFL chefz from the other 31NFL cities.
But down the road at the , a hotekl not part of the NFL roomsare available, said Gregg Nicklaus, They’re also available at the , anotheer property that chose to take its chances on walk-ins for Superf Bowl week. For 22 years, the Aldejn has hosted a German groupo that reserved 60 rooms during the week ofSuped Bowl. This year that reservation dropped to 15 but it happened too late for the Alde n to participate in the NFL At theDon CeSar, a few blocksd away, all rooms are sold for the weekend, two-thirdzs of which had been committed to the NFL. The hotekl charged rack rates of $614 for the remaininf rooms in the main hotel witha three-nighr minimum stay, GM John Marks said.
Its guests includwe members of the NFL events and entertainment a well as a blocki dedicated to the Super BowlHost Committee. It’a a chance for the hotel to showcasd itsnew $10 million health spa, Marks said. Despitse the occupancy holes in hotels that shunned the NFL Pinellas County iswell represented, Minicy said. There are several prime eventsw such as the Taste of the NFL at Tropicana a flag football game featuring NFL Hall of Famers and celebritie s at Progress Energy Park and an NFL Charitie s golf tournament at and Golf Visit St. Pete Clearwater contributed $750,00 to the area Super Bowl effort.
In return, it got a seat on the 35-member Host Committee, local advertisin g and front-row exposure for its hospitality industry. “We’re attractinb some first-time visitors and corporat guests to whom we can showcaseour area,” Minich Of the hotels that chose to go solo, Sarasota’s Ritz-Carlton was able to sell out at $899 a nighty with a four-night minimum. It’s not hostingy any special events. took a different route to selling out its It went after all the companies that set up and breai down the many Super Bowl facilities durinvgthe two-week period, as well as the many vendorsz in town.
Mainsail’s marketing department called extended stay hotelasin Phoenix, site of last year’ s Super Bowl, for names of the vendors that set up that as well as hotels in Miami, host of next year’a game. Plus, since Mainsaipl used to host teams during thetraining camps, it has a reputation among the NFL vendor network as a good extender stay hotel, said Joe Brown, Mainsail’s VP of sales and Since the vendors and setup crew are in for a longe r stay, usually seven to 10 that type of business better fits Mainsail as an extendee stay property, Brown said.
“Thiw is our niche,” he “So far, this has exceeded our At Innisbrook, all but 75 rooma of 600 were committed tothe NFL. The rest were held back to combinew withgolf packages, said Chuck VP and managing director. Several owners and fans are staying therde and will be among the first guests to experience the modernizatiom that has been taking place since BETNetwormk co-founder Sheila Johnson and her Salamandetr Hospitality purchased the distressed properthy in July 2007. Salamander has spenft more than $20 million on the golf clubhouses, a food markef and a new health spa.
While the hotel industryg is doing well for the SupeeBowl week, overall spending is down due to fewed than projected tourists in town for the Direct spending estimates for the Supefr Bowl have been scaled back to about $150 milliobn from an original $195 million, according to a new study by . “At this point for us, any moneu being spent now is incredible,” Hayes
Still, hotels that committed rooms to the block of roomd when the city made its bid in 2005 are full as advertisedx for the big game TampaBay & Company and Visit St. Petersburg Clearwater, Hillsborouggh and Pinellas counties’ convention and visitors bureaus, worked with local hotelsd to prepare the bid andsecured 20,000 rooms throughout the including as far east as Orlando. Not everyh hotel participated and some contributed less than a full housw to thebid process, said Steve Hayes, executived VP of Tampa Bay & Those hotels contracted with the NFL for ratess that included a small increase from the usual conventiom rates at that Hotels are free to chargse whatever the traffic will bear on roomsz outside of the NFL block, and most hotels have attempte to hold the line on a four-night minimum stay for availabl rooms.
That may have changed this week as the hotels not sold out scrambledfor last-minute guests, said D.T. executive director of Visit St. Petersburg Clearwater. “Th hotels not in the block are rethinkingv their rates andnight minimums,” Minich said. On St. Pete the is full. It blocked out 630 of its 796 roomes at itstwo properties. It sold out the balance outside the blocl but at the same rates as contracted withthe NFL. Amongh its guests are the Taste of the NFL chefz from the other 31NFL cities.
But down the road at the , a hotekl not part of the NFL roomsare available, said Gregg Nicklaus, They’re also available at the , anotheer property that chose to take its chances on walk-ins for Superf Bowl week. For 22 years, the Aldejn has hosted a German groupo that reserved 60 rooms during the week ofSuped Bowl. This year that reservation dropped to 15 but it happened too late for the Alde n to participate in the NFL At theDon CeSar, a few blocksd away, all rooms are sold for the weekend, two-thirdzs of which had been committed to the NFL. The hotekl charged rack rates of $614 for the remaininf rooms in the main hotel witha three-nighr minimum stay, GM John Marks said.
Its guests includwe members of the NFL events and entertainment a well as a blocki dedicated to the Super BowlHost Committee. It’a a chance for the hotel to showcasd itsnew $10 million health spa, Marks said. Despitse the occupancy holes in hotels that shunned the NFL Pinellas County iswell represented, Minicy said. There are several prime eventsw such as the Taste of the NFL at Tropicana a flag football game featuring NFL Hall of Famers and celebritie s at Progress Energy Park and an NFL Charitie s golf tournament at and Golf Visit St. Pete Clearwater contributed $750,00 to the area Super Bowl effort.
In return, it got a seat on the 35-member Host Committee, local advertisin g and front-row exposure for its hospitality industry. “We’re attractinb some first-time visitors and corporat guests to whom we can showcaseour area,” Minich Of the hotels that chose to go solo, Sarasota’s Ritz-Carlton was able to sell out at $899 a nighty with a four-night minimum. It’s not hostingy any special events. took a different route to selling out its It went after all the companies that set up and breai down the many Super Bowl facilities durinvgthe two-week period, as well as the many vendorsz in town.
Mainsail’s marketing department called extended stay hotelasin Phoenix, site of last year’ s Super Bowl, for names of the vendors that set up that as well as hotels in Miami, host of next year’a game. Plus, since Mainsaipl used to host teams during thetraining camps, it has a reputation among the NFL vendor network as a good extender stay hotel, said Joe Brown, Mainsail’s VP of sales and Since the vendors and setup crew are in for a longe r stay, usually seven to 10 that type of business better fits Mainsail as an extendee stay property, Brown said.
“Thiw is our niche,” he “So far, this has exceeded our At Innisbrook, all but 75 rooma of 600 were committed tothe NFL. The rest were held back to combinew withgolf packages, said Chuck VP and managing director. Several owners and fans are staying therde and will be among the first guests to experience the modernizatiom that has been taking place since BETNetwormk co-founder Sheila Johnson and her Salamandetr Hospitality purchased the distressed properthy in July 2007. Salamander has spenft more than $20 million on the golf clubhouses, a food markef and a new health spa.
While the hotel industryg is doing well for the SupeeBowl week, overall spending is down due to fewed than projected tourists in town for the Direct spending estimates for the Supefr Bowl have been scaled back to about $150 milliobn from an original $195 million, according to a new study by . “At this point for us, any moneu being spent now is incredible,” Hayes
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Lifestyle changes help change a life - Vancouver Sun
http://impex-projects.com/content/view/2/31/
Lifestyle changes help change a life Vancouver Sun Researchers are focusing on the complex interplay of things such as the Epstein-Barr virus, smoking, vitamin D deficiency, latitude and genetics. ... |
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Texas Invite: Laura Sogar, Maggie Meyer, Cory Chitwood Post Swift Times - SwimmingWorldMagazine.com
hibleyytogoja1273.blogspot.com
TexasSports.com | Texas Invite: Laura Sogar, Maggie Meyer, Cory Chitwood Post Swift Times SwimmingWorldMagazine.com Texas' Laura Sogar dominated the women's 200 breast with a scorching NCAA A cut time of 2:07.82 to move to 11th in the » |
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Nalley to sell its real estate - Atlanta Business Chronicle:
http://www.freewheelintornados.com/2008/05/19/hurricane-expert-global-warming-not-behind-storms/
The Cos., now partly ownedx by a Pennsylvania-based dealer group, plans to sell all the land beneathn the nine dealership properties it controls inmetrol Atlanta. Auto dealer REITs are similar to equity REITsd in the realestate market. REITs allow dealerss to sell land in order to extractf a lump sum of cash andtax benefits. Dealersa retain control of the dealerships and lease the properth from theinvestment trust. Many dealers need capital to expand and do not want to tie up theirf money inreal estate. Conshohocken, Pa.-based , which together with Nalley owns AsburhAutomotive Atlanta, is considering forming a REIT that could go publifc on the New York Stock Exchange as earlyy as June.
The company could file a prospectus with the Securitie s and Exchange Commission within the nextfew weeks, said Jim president of Nalley-Asbury. Automotive REITs are growingg in popularity. Three auto dealer-driven REITs were formeds in 1997, in Washington, D.C., Houston and New Hyde N.Y. Indianapolis-based Monument Realty, an automotive was formed in In February, Capital Automotive REIT CARS) in Washington was the firsft to go public. Nalley said the Asbury REIT woulx manage the dealership properties itnow controls. CEO Thomae R.
Gibson, former presidenr and CEO of Subaruof America, said the privately-heldd company will control about 58 dealerf franchises in Georgia, Texas and Florida once severa l pending deals close. If formed, the REIT wouls be a separate entity from theoperating company, he "We have not finalized the Gibson said. By sellingy the land, which averages about 5 Nalley said the REIT will give the company an advantagee when acquiring stakes innew dealerships. "We'r e convinced that our model makew significant private partnerships with leading dealers and has them grow that busines s intheir markets.
" A REIT is simply anothe r option for dealer groups that are not readyu to go public, said Tom chief economist for the Nationalp Automobile Dealers Association. "A REIT the same in terms of expectationzs inthe market," he But Nalley said a public offering for Asbury'ds operating company could follow withib the next five years. "Once you have eight or 10 of thosee platform groups put together and have operating history, you are stronger and more profitable," he "Then, the public will understand the Nalley said there is no set timeline. "We want to be patient and do it right," he said. "Taking our time was our strateggall along.
" Asbury Automotive was formed in late 1994. It is controlledf by two privateinvestment firms: Ripplewood Holdings LIC and Spogli & Co. Nalley, one of Atlanta's most well-known car formed Asbury Atlanta, a limited liability partnership, on Feb. 20, 1997. Ripplewooc entered the joint venture with Nalley atthat time. Nallegy said he was approached by Capitol Automotive REIT last year to join its but declined in order to form his ownwith Asbury. Sheldob Sandler, managing director of Ladenburg Thalmann inNew York, said Republi Industries also has considered forminvg a REIT to manage its real estate.
But despitw Capital Automotive REIT's strong showing on Wall Streetso far, many dealersd are still wary of givin up control of their real the only truly valuable part of their Sandler said. And when a REIT is successfuk for dealers, it is not usually populae with investors. "It's not necessarily the firsyt choice for a lotof dealers," he
The Cos., now partly ownedx by a Pennsylvania-based dealer group, plans to sell all the land beneathn the nine dealership properties it controls inmetrol Atlanta. Auto dealer REITs are similar to equity REITsd in the realestate market. REITs allow dealerss to sell land in order to extractf a lump sum of cash andtax benefits. Dealersa retain control of the dealerships and lease the properth from theinvestment trust. Many dealers need capital to expand and do not want to tie up theirf money inreal estate. Conshohocken, Pa.-based , which together with Nalley owns AsburhAutomotive Atlanta, is considering forming a REIT that could go publifc on the New York Stock Exchange as earlyy as June.
The company could file a prospectus with the Securitie s and Exchange Commission within the nextfew weeks, said Jim president of Nalley-Asbury. Automotive REITs are growingg in popularity. Three auto dealer-driven REITs were formeds in 1997, in Washington, D.C., Houston and New Hyde N.Y. Indianapolis-based Monument Realty, an automotive was formed in In February, Capital Automotive REIT CARS) in Washington was the firsft to go public. Nalley said the Asbury REIT woulx manage the dealership properties itnow controls. CEO Thomae R.
Gibson, former presidenr and CEO of Subaruof America, said the privately-heldd company will control about 58 dealerf franchises in Georgia, Texas and Florida once severa l pending deals close. If formed, the REIT wouls be a separate entity from theoperating company, he "We have not finalized the Gibson said. By sellingy the land, which averages about 5 Nalley said the REIT will give the company an advantagee when acquiring stakes innew dealerships. "We'r e convinced that our model makew significant private partnerships with leading dealers and has them grow that busines s intheir markets.
" A REIT is simply anothe r option for dealer groups that are not readyu to go public, said Tom chief economist for the Nationalp Automobile Dealers Association. "A REIT the same in terms of expectationzs inthe market," he But Nalley said a public offering for Asbury'ds operating company could follow withib the next five years. "Once you have eight or 10 of thosee platform groups put together and have operating history, you are stronger and more profitable," he "Then, the public will understand the Nalley said there is no set timeline. "We want to be patient and do it right," he said. "Taking our time was our strateggall along.
" Asbury Automotive was formed in late 1994. It is controlledf by two privateinvestment firms: Ripplewood Holdings LIC and Spogli & Co. Nalley, one of Atlanta's most well-known car formed Asbury Atlanta, a limited liability partnership, on Feb. 20, 1997. Ripplewooc entered the joint venture with Nalley atthat time. Nallegy said he was approached by Capitol Automotive REIT last year to join its but declined in order to form his ownwith Asbury. Sheldob Sandler, managing director of Ladenburg Thalmann inNew York, said Republi Industries also has considered forminvg a REIT to manage its real estate.
But despitw Capital Automotive REIT's strong showing on Wall Streetso far, many dealersd are still wary of givin up control of their real the only truly valuable part of their Sandler said. And when a REIT is successfuk for dealers, it is not usually populae with investors. "It's not necessarily the firsyt choice for a lotof dealers," he
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)