Louisiana’s Metros and Cities Recognized Nationally
Along with the many top rankings the State of Louisiana has received in recent months (see Louisiana Earns Several Top Rankings in Recent Months), Louisiana’s metros and cities are being recognized nationally too. Here’s highlights of the accolades from the last few months.
- Job Markets in New Orleans & Baton Rouge Metros Expected to be among the Strongest in the Nation during the 4th Quarter
– Manpower Employment Outlook, September 2011 (more…)
Mid-Year Retail Sales
An analysis of taxable retail sales figures for the first half of 2011 shows a positive trend for a majority of the markets studied in Louisiana. Comparing the first 6 months of 2011 to the first half of 2010, Lafayette Parish showed the biggest increase in retail sales at 11.1%, followed by an 8.1% increase in Jefferson Parish. Rapides, St. Tammany, Orleans, Livingston, Tangipahoa, Caddo, and East Baton Rouge Parishes also showed positive gains ranging from 3.0% to 7.6%. (more…)
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…)
Louisiana Earns Several Top Rankings in Recent Months
Louisiana has continued its reign at the top in several national rankings over recent years. Many of these top rankings are not just one-time accolades…Louisiana has staying power at the top. In rankings where Louisiana has room to improve, the state has been gaining traction in its move to the top. With Louisiana achieving so much recognition, it’s sometimes hard to keep track, so here is a quick snapshot of some state & regional rankings achieved over the last few months.
- #18 in Business Climate Rankings, up 22 spots since 2008
#2 in U.S. for incentives & economic development agency performance
– Pollina Corporate Real Estate, August 2011 (more…)
Stirling Properties Completes First Multi-Family Acquisitions
COVINGTON, Louisiana —- (AUGUST 22, 2011) Stirling Communities I, LLC, an entity of investors led by Stirling Properties, successfully completed their first acquisition which includes three Louisiana apartment communities in Lafayette and one in Baton Rouge, for a total of 370 units. The back-to-back deals closed on August 2 and August 17, 2011, with loan origination through Walker & Dunlop’s multi-family finance group and financing through Freddie Mac. (more…)
Stirling CEO Comments on “Gameloft to open major development studio in New Orleans”
Yesterday’s announcement of Gameloft’s decision to expand to New Orleans is a significant milestone for our city- not necessarily because of the number of jobs but for what it represents.
The announcement culminates over a yearlong effort by LED (Louisiana Economic Development) and GNO, Inc (Greater New Orleans, Inc. Regional Economic Alliance) to lure this company whom they had targeted.
When Gameloft first started looking, New Orleans didn’t even hit the radar screen, but in the end, we beat out cities such as Austin and Seattle to become only the second US based location for this French company and also the only one in Louisiana that will actually be developing video games here.
I believe that this is only the tip of the iceberg.
Click here to read the news release by LED.
Martin A. Mayer
President & CEO
