Louisiana Continues to Leap Forward in All Areas
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 Overall Business Environment
- #4 in Cost of Doing Business
- #5 in Labor Climate
- #6 Top State for Doing Business
This is a remarkable set of top-10 votes for Louisiana from national economic development consultants; you can see the full report here.
These latest rankings are just another example of what we see happening all around us. Louisiana continues to leap forward in all areas – jobs, economic development, business climate, entrepreneurship, etc. As I tell people around the country the “Louisiana Story”, their reactions are somewhere between amazement and skepticism. I can tell some of them flatly don’t believe a word I am saying.
That is what makes telling the story even more remarkable.
Southeast Super-Region Committee awarded gold medal by IEDC
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 region from competing nationally and globally.
It was from those roots that discussions began among a small group who had business interests which cross parish lines, from New Orleans and Baton Rouge, to form the Southeast Super- Region Committee. So today it is truly exciting and gratifying to have the Super-Region Committee being recognized for an award for cross collaboration by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).
To me, this represents hope for the continued future success of our region.
Click here to see the article released by Greater New Orleans, Inc.
ICSC World Summit – Shanghai, China
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 types.
In contrast, others on the panel were CEOs of large public REITs and foreign-based development firms who discussed the same issues from their vantage points.
Needless to say, my perspective was starkly different from theirs in many aspects.
Interestingly enough, several other trustees approached me afterwards to say how much they envied our position of being able to grow in our own backyard and carve a unique niche for ourselves.
What was amazing was that these comments came from some of the largest multinational retail developers in the world.
Sometimes going halfway around the world helps us to focus even more clearly on our own backyard.
President’s Message: Optimism and Growth at ICSC
Having recently returned from Las Vegas where I attended my 25th consecutive International Council of Shopping Centers Convention, I am struck by several themes that continued to emerge for me.
The upbeat mood and sense of optimism was widespread and apparent, a stark contrast to the mood two years ago. Convention attendance improved again this year which kept our booth buzzing with retailers, lenders and investors looking to learn more about our properties and services.
The amount of new development activity that we have in progress is incredible. Our colleagues in other regions were amazed to hear about the number of projects we currently have in the pipeline. Our markets are attracting a lot of attention both from new retailers entering for the first time, and from those looking to expand their footprints.
New Orleans, in particular, is in a sweet spot unlike I’ve ever witnessed in my career.
Now, more than ever, the importance of a strong brand is paramount to success in today’s environment. In order to attract capital, gain the confidence of retailers and navigate the complexities of a new development, it is crucial to have a strong track record and a well-respected brand.
I was once again reminded how strong our Stirling brand has become, in every niche we occupy, both locally and nationally.
While there are many uncertainties on the horizon – capital availability and terms, internet sales’ impact on bricks and mortar stores and consumer confidence; I believe we are well situated to weather those uncertainties and continue to experience new growth and prosperity.
New Orleans Most Improved City for Business in Wall Street Journal
Yet another testament to what is happening in the Greater New Orleans region in such a short period of time. Once rated dead last by this same ranking, New Orleans jumped an incredible 44 spots to become the most improved city in the nation. Wow! Click here to read the full article.
President’s Message: Don’t Just Talk About the Weather – Do Something
Just as we are enduring the dog days of a long hot summer in South Louisiana, so too it seems that the entire country (and the world for that matter) is enduring the economic equivalent of dog days. While we can look forward to that first cool snap of fall soon, it seems that we will be waiting much longer for any such economic relief.
Mark Twain once said, “Everybody talks about the weather but nobody does anything about it”.
That quote sounds very much akin to what’s happening in Washington these days – everybody’s talking about the economy but nobody is really doing anything about it. I have always believed that you have to focus on the things you can control and not spend wasted time and energy on those you can’t. Stirling Properties, I believe, is doing just that. (more…)
