Business Relocations to Jacksonville (Daily Record)

[copperfiend]

Home Depot?

Just kidding...

[urbaknight]

They are keeping very tight lipped about it. Hope they locate in Downtown!

With Scott and Peyton in charge, I'd be really surprised if they do locate DT. Let's just keep our fingers crossed. 

But on a positive note, I've been seeing groupes of people being led on, what seems to be tours of the buildings. I hope they're the new businesses inquiring for possible reuse of the old buildings.

Has anyone else noticed this going on?

[Wacca Pilatka]

But on a positive note, I've been seeing groupes of people being led on, what seems to be tours of the buildings. I hope they're the new businesses inquiring for possible reuse of the old buildings.

Has anyone else noticed this going on?

Yes!  My friend Beth Slater is leading a historical downtown tour through a local tour company.  She posts on here occasionally as well and has an urban issues blog page, Bold City 5.0.  She would probably want me to mention that the inspiration for her tour group leader outfit comes from her great grandmother Linda Frost Sheddan, whose striking account of the 1901 fire appears in Wayne Wood and Bill Foley's Great Fire book.

[newzgrrl]

Thanks, WP! I have led some Downtown walking tours in recent weeks. We go through the Landing, Independent Life, Atlantic National Bank, and the Florida Theatre. The outfit, a white dress and big white hat, is inspired by my great-grandmother. We talk about history, art and culture, current events, architecture and whatever questions the guests have.

I work with AdLib Luxury Tours: http://www.adlibtours.com/

DVI and the Chamber of Commerce/Cornerstone also have building/site selection tours, though I don't know anything about their schedules or frequency.

[Jdog]

Any more word on Scott's visit yielding fruits of a new headquarters? 

[longhaul]

Any update on this??

[Jdog]

Florida, Texas Front-Runners To Lure CME Group

By Howard Packowitz
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

CHICAGO (Dow Jones)--Florida and Texas are believed to be the strongest contenders to lure some of the key operations of CME Group Inc. (CME) from its historical base in Chicago, a spokesman for the Florida Governor's office said Monday.

CME cited an unfair tax burden in Illinois for exploring such a move after the state legislature in January raised the corporate tax rate from 4.8% to 7%, costing the exchange operator $50 million per year, according to CME Chairman Terry Duffy.

Florida Governor Rick Scott, elected last year as part of the anti-tax Tea Party movement, believes the Sunshine State and Texas are "the most competitive and that it's going to come down to one of those states," said Lane Wright, Scott's press secretary.

It's Scott's impression after meeting with CME leaders that the exchange will likely move a significant number of jobs to either of the two states, Wright said.

Scott sent a letter to CME in June promoting Florida's business friendly environment. Texas Governor Rick Perry, now a candidate for the Republican nomination for President, sent similar letters to several Illinois firms, including CME...

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20110912-711503.html


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To the insiders: Any Jacksonville rumors?