Commercial Real Estate Experts in the Gulf South
In a recent Forbes article, “The Cities Winning the Battle for Information Jobs,” author and researcher Joel Kotkin ranks Greater New Orleans as #3 in the USA, behind only technology heavyweights Silicon Valley and San Francisco. In the article, he states “Perhaps the most dramatic player is third-place New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, where information employment is up …
After many years of campaigning by ICSC and other trade organizations, the U.S. Senate voted 69 to 27 yesterday to approve S. 743, “The Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013,” moving the legislation one step closer to enactment. As I mentioned in my recent President’s Message, the passage of this bill is critical to the Commercial Real …
Typically, I steer clear of any politically-charged issue in my President’s Messages, but there is a bill currently pending in the Senate that falls into the “just plain common sense” category. The Marketplace Fairness Act deals with the problem of uncollected sales taxes from the sales of internet retailers that do not have a physical presence in the state in which …
IBM‘s recent announcement that they will open an 800-job technology center in downtown Baton Rouge is a HUGE game changer for Baton Rouge, LSU and Louisiana. Along with the new, well-paying, tech-sector jobs that IBM will bring, the state has committed to fund an expansion of LSU’s computer science program, which will help to provide a well-trained workforce. Additionally, a mixed-use …
As we embark upon a new year – 2013 (lucky 13!), I look back in amazement at how much our Stirling team has accomplished over the last twelve months. We started the year with the acquisition of Avant Properties in Shreveport, Louisiana and capped it off with our recently announced joint venture development deal with CBL …
I wanted to share this recently published article, “The Rise of the Third Coast,” by Joel Kotkin, an internationally-recognized researcher and author on global, economic, political and social trends. In the piece, Kotkin describes the “Third Coast,” in large part driven by a “resurgent New Orleans” region, as “one of the major forces in twenty-first-century America.” …
Yesterday morning I spoke briefly at the official ribbon cutting for the Sam’s Club in our River Chase development. The parish president, all of the area mayors, several council members and a crowd waiting for the doors to open were all gathered. It was great to see so many people excited about the store opening. Monday night was the …
Leading economic development magazine Area Development has just released its 2012 “Top States for Doing Business” survey of national site selectors, and Louisiana has posted its best showing ever: #1 in Cooperative State Government #2 in Incentives Programs #2 in Economic Recovery #3 in Leading Workforce Development Programs #3 in Speed of Permitting #4 in …
Just a few short years ago, I was interviewed by a reporter for an article focusing on the extreme divisiveness, dislike and disdain between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. At that time, I even wrote an opinion column, The Feud is Fading, pointing out the futility in this situation and how it was preventing our …
I just recently returned from the ICSC World Summit in Shanghai, China, where worldwide trustees gathered for a meeting. I was asked to take part in one of the panel discussions to talk about Stirling Properties and the risks, challenges, and opportunities of being a private, regionally-focused real estate firm that deals in multiple property …
