I'm baffled by this!!! (Columbus, Cleveland: best cities, 2015, job market)

[Mr216]

Governor Kasich is trying to lure Sears to Ohio which is fine but he is willing to throw upwards of $400 million dollars at them?! This is outrageous because for one Sears is on a downward spiral, and two he said Ohio is broke and cut funding for schools and local governments but goes and tries this?! I'm just shocked

Goodbye Chiquita, hello Sears? Ohio Gov. John Kasich digging in on deal for Illinois retailer | cleveland.com

[jbcmh81]

There is quite a bit of debate to this, but imo, it's good. For one thing, that $400 million is not a check or a wad of cash being handed over. It's an incentives package, which could be anything from tax breaks (meaning we don't gain anything with it, but we don't lose anything either since that tax money didn't exist to begin with) to help with infrastructure improvements. However, usually incentives like this are directly tied with job growth, etc, so the state would likely come out ahead even if the company moved here and died within 10 years or so (which is not the guarantee people seem to be making it out to be). The positives is that it will lead to job growth locally and in the state, not only with Sears, but with related support companies. It will improve Ohio's profile as not only business friendly, but a place where companies are willing to move. We desperately need an image change in this area.

[Mr216]

Originally Posted by jbcmh81

There is quite a bit of debate to this, but imo, it's good. For one thing, that $400 million is not a check or a wad of cash being handed over. It's an incentives package, which could be anything from tax breaks (meaning we don't gain anything with it, but we don't lose anything either since that tax money didn't exist to begin with) to help with infrastructure improvements. However, usually incentives like this are directly tied with job growth, etc, so the state would likely come out ahead even if the company moved here and died within 10 years or so (which is not the guarantee people seem to be making it out to be). The positives is that it will lead to job growth locally and in the state, not only with Sears, but with related support companies. It will improve Ohio's profile as not only business friendly, but a place where companies are willing to move. We desperately need an image change in this area.

Okay true but I honestly don't believe Sears should be in your city Columbus (Not trying to start anything just my opinion) because Cleveland is in such an upswing $6.8 Billion in development, cheaper rents in the empty office buildings so Sears could grab naming rights on it, Cleveland has the largest downtown population in Ohio at 10,000 and we have the 5th hottest job market. Don't get me wrong Columbus is a GREAT city but it just seems Columbus gets a lot because especially since it's the capital I think it's Cleveland's turn to get something.

[ZnGuy]

Originally Posted by Mr216

Okay true but I honestly don't believe Sears should be in your city Columbus (Not trying to start anything just my opinion) because Cleveland is in such an upswing $6.8 Billion in development, cheaper rents in the empty office buildings so Sears could grab naming rights on it, Cleveland has the largest downtown population in Ohio at 10,000 and we have the 5th hottest job market. Don't get me wrong Columbus is a GREAT city but it just seems Columbus gets a lot because especially since it's the capital I think it's Cleveland's turn to get something.

your reasoning is pretty weak. I think your facts are wrong on job growth...Cleveland area ranked #48 in country for job growth Large Cities Rankings - 2011 Best Cities for Job Growth | Newgeography.com

[costello_musicman]

Interesting article regarding exactly this:

Ohio offers Sears riches to move to Columbus, but why not Cleveland? | cleveland.com

I can see why people are questioning Gov Kasich and the state gov't are only offering financial support for Columbus, with absolutely no mention of Cleveland or Cincinnati. The best and only answer I've hear is that Sears supposedly wanted info on Columbus and Columbus's retail connections.

Still would have rather had the $300 million 3-C train paid for by the Feds than a Sears relocation...

[costello_musicman]

Originally Posted by ZnGuy

your reasoning is pretty weak. I think your facts are wrong on job growth...Cleveland area ranked #48 in country for job growth Large Cities Rankings - 2011 Best Cities for Job Growth | Newgeography.com

Side note: Cleveland has seen a solid numbers these past two months (which doesn't show up in that study) -- the question is: "has then become a trend" or "is it is a blip?"

Cleveland rocks jobless figures | The Columbus Dispatch

[jodipper]

Train paid for by the feds but maintained at a loss by the taxpayers.

Sears is parent of K-Mart so don't just think of your locals Sears store.

[Mr216]

Originally Posted by ZnGuy

your reasoning is pretty weak. I think your facts are wrong on job growth...Cleveland area ranked #48 in country for job growth Large Cities Rankings - 2011 Best Cities for Job Growth | Newgeography.com

Have you even read this article?

The War for Talent is on: Monster Identifies the Hottest Markets for Job Seekers | Business Wire

or

http://www.fox8.com/news/wjw-cleveland-job-market-ranks-7th-monster-com-ea-txt,0,4782264.story (broken link)

[jbcmh81]

Originally Posted by Mr216

Okay true but I honestly don't believe Sears should be in your city Columbus (Not trying to start anything just my opinion) because Cleveland is in such an upswing $6.8 Billion in development, cheaper rents in the empty office buildings so Sears could grab naming rights on it, Cleveland has the largest downtown population in Ohio at 10,000 and we have the 5th hottest job market. Don't get me wrong Columbus is a GREAT city but it just seems Columbus gets a lot because especially since it's the capital I think it's Cleveland's turn to get something.

Cleveland is having a lot of development, but all 3-Cs are. I have compiled a list of Columbus development myself and the amount of it under construction or in planning through 2015 is approaching $9 billion, with the majority of this amount in the Downtown or surrounding urban core neighborhoods. Ohio's major cities are seeing a lot of positive momentum.

I also believe that Sears looked at locations in all 3-Cs and it would be up to them to decide where they end up going (if they come here at all). This isn't really a city competition since none of them really have a say in where it goes. It's through the state, but it will be the ultimate choice of Sears.

[jbcmh81]

Originally Posted by costello_musicman

Interesting article regarding exactly this:

Ohio offers Sears riches to move to Columbus, but why not Cleveland? | cleveland.com

I can see why people are questioning Gov Kasich and the state gov't are only offering financial support for Columbus, with absolutely no mention of Cleveland or Cincinnati. The best and only answer I've hear is that Sears supposedly wanted info on Columbus and Columbus's retail connections.

Still would have rather had the $300 million 3-C train paid for by the Feds than a Sears relocation...

I believe the CEO of Sears has a large stake in Big Lots, which is headquartered in Columbus. That may be one of the reasons they are more interested in Columbus (aside from Columbus already having a lot of retail HQ history), but from everything I read, they looked at locations in Cleveland as well. Perhaps if Cleveland was ruled out by Sears, the state pushed for the locations they did like.