Survey Finds Louisianans Strongly Support Marketplace Fairness
As a follow-up to my previous posts about the Marketplace Fairness Act, I wanted to share the results of a recent Louisiana-specific poll. Results released by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) indicate an overwhelming majority of Louisianans (78 percent!) support federal legislation that requires online-only sellers to collect sales tax at the time of purchase. A national poll revealed similar results with the support of 70 percent of Americans.
Here’s a summary of the poll’s other key findings:
- 89 percent of Louisianans think it would be easier to collect sales tax from online-only vendors at the time of purchase, versus paying sales and use taxes through special forms or when filing income taxes as is currently required in many states (82 percent in national poll)
- 89 percent of Louisianans say local retailers are important to their community’s economic health (93 percent in national poll)
Louisianans and the Nation agree that it is time to pass Marketplace Fairness, which, after being combined with the Internet Tax Freedom Act, is the legislation now known as the Marketplace and Internet Tax Fairness Act (MITFA), S. 2609. As I have previously stated, it is important to level the playing field for our retailers who are employing people and paying taxes in our communities. The passage of this bill is critical to the Commercial Real Estate industry, brick-and-mortar retailers and perhaps more importantly, to our state and local governments.
I strongly encourage each of you to contact your representative and to promote this issue on social media sites with the hashtags #efairness, #MITFA, or #efairnessnow.
President’s Message: A Championship Season
With the coming of Fall (hopefully soon) and the kickoff of a brand new football season filled with lofty expectations, excitement is in the air.
Let’s cheer our economic environment – our region remains strong and the nation continues to notice. Just last week, Louisiana was recognized again by a national publication – this time ranking #1 for Best Business Climate in the United States on Business Facilities’ annual Rankings Report, with Alabama rounding out the Top 10. According to the article, “if natural gas, gumbo and Mardi Gras are the only things that come to mind when you think about Louisiana, think again. Name a growth sector – digital media, advanced manufacturing, IT/software – and Louisiana has a specific program geared to welcome new players, with a proven track record of successful startups.”
Perhaps even more impressive, the same magazine’s annual Metro Rankings Report placed Baton Rouge #2, Mobile #3 and New Orleans #5 for Economic Growth Potential – three cities along the booming Gulf Coast in the Top 5, and all are cities where Stirling Properties is actively engaged. Other metro markets in our region are expanding as well – namely Lake Charles, Lafayette, Houma/Thibodaux and Shreveport/Bossier City.
Since my last President’s Message, Stirling too has continued to expand and grow in all of these markets. Our recent efforts include the acquisition of John Toomey & Company in Mobile, commencement of Phase II of Fremaux Town Center in Slidell and the addition of Sam’s Club to Stirling Bossier Shopping Center in Bossier City. We also have in the pipeline two new retail developments in Lake Charles and Lafayette, and we are actively involved in a number of other exciting initiatives.
Our new projects and growth, positive national rankings for our region and the upcoming football season are all certainly creating a buzz of excitement around here…let’s add football champions to the growing list!
2nd Annual Stirling Olympics Raises Over $30,000!
This past Friday, employees and agents from all offices gathered for the 2nd Annual Stirling Properties Olympics, an event hosted by the Stirling Stewardship Committee to raise money for charitable causes. The event was a HUGE SUCCESS, raising over $33,000! Employees and agents divided into 10 teams with each team choosing their team name, colors, flag, and song. Charities were voted on prior to the event, with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and The Disposable Heroes Project chosen as recipients of this year’s donations. Teams raised over $33,000 through personal donations and attaining sponsors. Teams were able to earn points the week leading up to the Olympics by correctly answering Stirling Trivia questions. On the day of the Olympics, teams competed in 10 events – Swim Tube/Goggles Relay, Egg Relay, Blind Basketball, Rubber Chicken Toss, Bean Bag Toss, Puzzle Relay, Obstacle Texting Race, Bowling, Hula Hoop Contest, and Tricycle and Bouncy Ball Relay. Scores were tallied at the end of the day and medals were given for each event and the top overall teams. Events were judged by Jamey Flegal (CBL & Associates Properties), Tara Hernandez (JCH Development), Will Boudreaux (Netchex), Jeanne Wallace (Wright & Percy), Tommy Buckel (Duplantis Design Group), and Steven Serio (Fishman Haygood Phelps Walmsley Willis & Swanson, LLP). The Gold Medal overall went to Mr. T and the McFlys…congratulations to Townsend Underhill, Sharon Amacker, Jessica Zeringue, Ellen McCain, Amanda Pfeil, Kelly Wellmeyer, Robert Dischler, Ryan Murphy, Dinah Rawls, and John Woodard. Congratulations also to Paul Mastio, Kristy Beach, Tracy Gandy, Lindsey Palmer, Cyndie Quave, Melissa Serpas, Dick Cyr, Jill Meeks, and Donna Allsup of Mastio’s Minions who earned the Silver Medal. Chris Abadie, Melinda Brazzel, Glinda Erler, Hazel Fischer, Brittany Orr, Valerie Sterkx, Joe Gardner, Justin Landry, Ashley Hosey, and John Hayes of Brewskies and a Six Pack took home the Bronze Medal. At the end of the day, in an effort to raise even more money, the ownership team volunteered to be “slimed”, but employees and agents had to outbid them for the right to drench them in the green slime. Employees were obviously motivated to slime the owners as over $6,000 was collected toward the overall total. One owner was outbid and employees paid $1,300 to see him slimed! A special thanks to the Stirling Stewardship Committee for all their hard work on organizing the event and making it happen. A fun day was had by all and we look forward to more events like this in the future!
Stirling Properties Expands Presence in Mobile, Alabama by Acquiring John Toomey & Company, Inc.
COVINGTON, LOUISIANA (MAY 13, 2014) – Stirling Properties announces the acquisition of John Toomey & Company, Inc., a commercial real estate company based in Mobile, Alabama. The acquisition of John Toomey & Company, Inc. further strengthens Stirling Properties’ presence in the Gulf South and is a critical step in Stirling’s long-term strategic growth plans.
Toomey’s current portfolio of 1.8 million square feet will be integrated into Stirling Properties’ portfolio bringing the total to 15.5 million square feet. John Toomey and his team will join Stirling Properties, with Mr. Toomey to serve as Broker/New Business Development Coordinator for the Mobile Area.
Marty Mayer, President and CEO of Stirling Properties, said, “The incredible resurgence of the Gulf Coast as the country’s Third Coast has provided growth and opportunities all along the Gulf South. We feel as though Mobile is a key component in this resurgence. To increase our regional presence, we are excited to collaborate with a company that has over 20 years’ experience and deep roots in Mobile.”
The founder of John Toomey & Company, Inc., John Toomey, believes that aligning with Stirling Properties will provide a higher caliber of service to existing and future clients. “Stirling Properties is a very strategic and forward-thinking company. The resources they offer our brokers and property owners will enable us to take our client services to a new level. I am so proud of my team and find it very gratifying that our work was noticed and appreciated by Stirling Properties.”
“This alignment reinforces Stirling Properties’ commitment to personally invest in the markets we serve and provides a strong foundation for continued growth in all facets of our company that include the development, management, brokerage and acquisition of commercial properties throughout Alabama and the Gulf South”,” stated Will Barrois, Stirling Properties Vice President/Regional Manager of Alabama and Florida.
For commercial real estate needs in Alabama, contact Stirling Properties at their Mobile office located at 182 St. Francis Street, Suite 101, or call (251) 706-6457.
VIDEO: 2013 Stirling Highlights
2013 was a great year for Stirling Properties…and for the Gulf South! Check out the accomplishments of the Gulf South region and our favorite company highlights of the year. The 1st Quarter 2014 has already been busy…we’re looking forward to what the rest of 2014 will bring.
President’s Message: A Wild Ride
In my last President’s Message, I talked about how much had been accomplished in 2013 and how the year ended with a flurry of activity. Well, the first quarter of 2014 has been wild in many ways also (including the weather)!
This year began with the groundbreaking of Magnolia Marketplace in New Orleans, a 100,000+ square-foot shopping center we are developing with JCH Development that will bring new retailers to an underserved portion of Central City. And just days later, we announced the contract for Perkins Rowe, a high-profile, mixed-use property with 364,648 square feet of retail and 126,000 square feet of Class A office space, plus upscale apartments and condominiums. The contract to provide leasing, sales and property and construction management services represents the single largest such contract in Stirling’s history.
Additionally, we celebrated 2 Grand Openings during the 1st Quarter. The first was for Phase I of Fremaux Town Center in Slidell, a regional shopping center anchored by Kohl’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Best Buy & T.J.Maxx that we are developing in partnership with CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. A new, full-service Walgreens also grand opened in Terrytown on the Westbank of New Orleans, which was followed a few weeks later by our announcement that we will be developing a full-service Walgreens in Metairie at the intersection of Veterans & Power Boulevards.
As our business continues to boom, so too does the Gulf South Region. I have had the opportunity to share the positive news about our markets numerous times during the last quarter. It is something I truly get very passionate about doing.
In February, I was invited to give the ACREcon Keynote Presentation at the annual conference hosted by the Alabama Center for Real Estate (ACREcon) in Birmingham with over 500 in attendance. In early March, Jimmy Maurin, Townsend Underhill and I were asked to give a presentation on the New Orleans market and economy at the Annual Spring meeting of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Foundation Governor’s Board in New Orleans. One of the reasons I love giving these presentations is because the reaction by the audience afterward is always amazement at what is happening down here in the Gulf Coast – The Third Coast.
And despite the fact that spring is here, there is no time for rest. We are currently preparing for ICSC ReCon in Las Vegas. And stay tuned for some new announcements in the near future – it’s going to be a wild ride.
