Sears Headquarters Coming to Columbus? (Cleveland, Cincinnati: unemployment rate, taxes, fence)

[jbcmh81]

Have heard recently that Sears may be looking to move from Chicago due to increases in taxes there. This morning there was an article in the Dispatch about how officials from Sears had recently visited the city to scope out sites. They have also visited Austin.

Pros for Columbus:
1. The Sears CEO recently bought a majority stake in Columbus-based Big Lots, which gives an incentive to move here and be close to other retail investments.
2. Columbus is a very strong retail market and has a history of allowing retail corporations to grow.
3. Young population and high rate of business grads.
4. Growing population and much lower unemployment rates than the Chicago area.

Cons for Columbus:
1. Would probably not be able to match incentives packages that Chicago can offer.
2. Ohio is not really a hot-spot to attract new corporations.

That's all I can think of at the moment, though others may have other ideas.

Personally, I can't really see this move as likely. A recent trend with big corporations is to threaten to move out of city/state in order to receive larger incentives and tax breaks. This is exactly what Bob Evans did here in Columbus and what Chiquita is doing in Cincinnati right now. I think the most likely scenario is that Sears gets what it wants and stays right were it is.

Either way, the announcement on whether to move or stay is supposed to come by the end of the year.

[ram2]

Sears used to have an outlet store in Columbus.

[jbcmh81]

Originally Posted by ram2

Sears used to have an outlet store in Columbus.

Yeah, they did. Another thing to note is that the company overall is not really that healthy, so even if they do move, it may be for nothing in the end.

[Traveler87]

Originally Posted by jbcmh81

Yeah, they did. Another thing to note is that the company overall is not really that healthy, so even if they do move, it may be for nothing in the end.

I say no to this company. Ohio already has plenty of retail based headquarters, and they are doing fine. There is no point in bringing in a dying brand, and then when they have found themselves new headquarters in Columbus or wherever in Ohio, all of our other fortune 500 companies are going to expect some huge tax breaks like they plan on giving Sears.

Stay in Illinois, or go to Texas... just don't come to Ohio.

[ram2]

Originally Posted by Traveler87

I say no to this company. Ohio already has plenty of retail based headquarters, and they are doing fine. There is no point in bringing in a dying brand, and then when they have found themselves new headquarters in Columbus or wherever in Ohio, all of our other fortune 500 companies are going to expect some huge tax breaks like they plan on giving Sears.

Stay in Illinois, or go to Texas... just don't come to Ohio.

Did you have a problem when Sears had the big outlet/distribution center in Columbus?

[jbcmh81]

Originally Posted by Traveler87

I say no to this company. Ohio already has plenty of retail based headquarters, and they are doing fine. There is no point in bringing in a dying brand, and then when they have found themselves new headquarters in Columbus or wherever in Ohio, all of our other fortune 500 companies are going to expect some huge tax breaks like they plan on giving Sears.

Stay in Illinois, or go to Texas... just don't come to Ohio.

I'm way more on the fence than you seem to be on this. Sears is not the brand it used to be and is not as healthy as a company as it has been in the past. At the same time, I wouldn't necessarily say it's dying. Apparently all of the people vying for it to move (or stay) don't believe so either. So while this may not hold the same weight as say, a Microsoft or some other major, healthy corporation moving here, I also think it would be foolish not to try to get them. Any major corportation moving in raises our profile to some extent.

[SKandM]

Originally Posted by ram2

Sears used to have an outlet store in Columbus.

They still do, at least two in fact. One is in Linden on the corner of Innis and Cleveland and the other is near I-70 in Reynoldsburg.

[jbcmh81]

I will say though, that if they do move, I hope they don't just put another sprawling complex out in the suburbs like so many others have.

[Traveler87]

Originally Posted by ram2

Did you have a problem when Sears had the big outlet/distribution center in Columbus?

Let's see, distribution center vs. fortune 500 global headquaters looking for tax incentives. I believe I made my point in my first post.

[Traveler87]

Originally Posted by jbcmh81

I'm way more on the fence than you seem to be on this. Sears is not the brand it used to be and is not as healthy as a company as it has been in the past. At the same time, I wouldn't necessarily say it's dying. Apparently all of the people vying for it to move (or stay) don't believe so either. So while this may not hold the same weight as say, a Microsoft or some other major, healthy corporation moving here, I also think it would be foolish not to try to get them. Any major corportation moving in raises our profile to some extent.

Hey, if they come, they come. Columbus is one hell of a good location for a company like Sears to look into. You look at all the retail based companies already there, and it would be a no-brainer. I just don't want Sears to come in with these new breaks, and now Macy's, Limited Brands, etc now want the same thing.