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Local village plots 550-acre business park
Plain City is looking to annex about 550 acres for a new business park. <\p> The village's council and planning and zoning commission reviewed plans last week for Creekview Commerce Park, a mixed-use commercial and industrial development to be built off Route 42 between Rickard and Converse roads. <\p>
Companies are spending billions for an employee benefit not being used
Workers are leaving the equivalent of hundreds of billions of dollars a year on the table in the form of unused vacation days, and employers increasingly are a paying a price for those decisions.<\p> Financial firm Sorbet surveyed 1,500 American workers over the age of 21 and found that 62% of those employees didn't use all their paid vacation time last year. That's up from 57% who didn't use all their available time off in 2022 and nearly double the rate from four years earlier, according to Sorbet. <\p>
The National Observer: Watchers warn of vicious circle in U.S. economy
Welcome to The National Observer, a roundup of top business news and actionable insights from across The Business Journals network of publications. We're getting into the reason many companies are laying off more workers than they might need to, a solar cell manufacturer's new $1 billion project, and a higher education company's big bet on remote and hybrid learning. But first, let's look at concerns by Wells Fargo economists about a vicious cycle downturn in the U.S. economy.<\p> Get more stories like these every day in your inbox by subscribing to The National Observer newsletter. <\p>
After more than 15,000 shows, PromoWest CEO bowing out
After 46 years in the entertainment business, PromoWest Productions CEO and AEG Presents Regional Vice President Scott Stienecker will retire at the end of the year.<\p> As he approaches 65 in November, Stienecker said in a press release he feels he's reached all his goals. <\p>
Tour of homes and gardens features Kaufman project
This year's Short North Tour of Homes and Gardens features Kaufman's GreenHouse. <\p> GreenHouse, located at 21 W. 2nd Ave., includes the former (and now restored) International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) headquarters and a new seven-story building with 158 apartments, including penthouse units and townhomes, which front Price Avenue. <\p>
Wawa plans more Ohio locations
Pennsylvania-based convenience chain Wawa is expanding its Ohio footprint. Numerous applications sent this week to Dayton-area and state boards signal the brand's commitment to adding new storefronts in the region. <\p> Wawa has more than 1,050 locations across six states and Washington, D.C. and plans to open four more Dayton stores, including Miami Township, Huber Heights, Liberty Township and Tipp City. <\p>
Vegan restaurant closures piling up
Another Columbus vegan dining option appears to have closed – at least for now.<\p> Lifestyle Café at 891 Oak St. in Olde Towne East has not been operating, but co-founder Shanna “Chef Bae” Dean in recent weeks on social media said she’s still working out what is next.<\p>
Music festivals, conventions fuel Columbus tourism mid-year
Columbus' travel and tourism industry continues to grow year-over-year in terms of gains from concerts, conventions, trade shows, sports events and more.<\p> In total, the city hosted 222 conventions, trade shows and sporting events between Jan. 1 and June 30, according to Experience Columbus's 2024 State of the Visitor Industry Mid-Year Report. <\p>
Small Plates: New local restaurants and new discount deals
Historic Dublin adds a new restaurant, a growing brunch brand zeroes in on another Columbus-area location and Wendy’s and White Castle are pushing new deals.<\p> The week in Central Ohio restaurant and food news starts with:<\p>
Big Lots to push daily bargain for all stores
Big Lots Inc. isn’t just offering deals at the stores it is closing.<\p> The Columbus-based retailer, which is in the midst of shuttering more than 300 stores, Friday announced a special promotion that will apply across all of its nearly 1,400 stores nationwide.<\p>
Large lease signed at Canal Winchester industrial park
A global logistics company is opening a new location in Central Ohio.<\p> DB Schenker, a division of German rail operator Deutsche Bahn, has signed a lease for 450,696 square feet at 7717 Robinett Way in Canal Winchester. It is located at Canal Pointe Industrial Park, a 55-acre site that includes two industrial buildings totaling about 825,000 square feet. Both properties were constructed on spec.<\p>
Third round of job cuts for Silicon Valley fintech with Columbus HQ2
Digital consumer lending platform Upstart Holdings Inc. projects a return to growth and profitability even if the economy doesn't measurably improve.<\p> Meanwhile, regulatory filings indicate a third mass job cut in two years for its dual headquarters in Silicon Valley and Columbus.<\p>
The Weekly Rundown: Most tax headaches come from municipalities
No one likes paying taxes, but there’s one in particular in Ohio that’s the worst, according to a survey from the Ohio Chamber of Commerce Research Foundation. <\p> It found that the state’s municipal income tax is “by far, the most burdensome and costly tax to administer in Ohio.” Overall, the benchmarking survey comparing Ohio to peer states found that our state-level tax system is “generally competitive.” But the state loses that edge when looking at local property and income taxes as well. <\p>
Cybersecurity experts say Columbus city data is leaking on dark web
Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther rebutted media reports Thursday that a ransomware group had started leaking personal information of city employees after an auction of the data failed. <\p> City officials are still constrained on what they can say during the investigation by the FBI and local law enforcement, said a statement from the mayor's office. The city detected the cyberattack on July 18, apparently stemming from a file downloaded from the internet.<\p>
Startup accelerator cuts 17% of global staff
Startup accelerator Techstars is the latest tech-sector organization to cut staff, citing a reduction in the number of early-stage ventures it supports every year. <\p> Techstars Columbus powered by the Ohio State University is not affected, according to statements from the company. Applications are set to open later this month for the accelerator's second cohort of about a dozen startups. The first group graduated in May.<\p>
CMH receives federal funds for taxiway project
The Federal Aviation Administration has awarded John Glenn Columbus International Airport $29.4 million to construct an apron and a taxiway for its $2 billion terminal project.<\p> The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration last week awarded 245 airport-related infrastructure grants, totaling $427 million.<\p>
A casual revolution is hitting the office. Gen Z is leading the way.
Editor’s Note: Welcome to The Playbook Edition, a look at stories, trends and changes that could affect your business. Want more stories like this in your inbox? Sign up for The Playbook newsletter. <\p> Given that they entered the workforce in one of the more tumultuous times in the history of the country, Generation Z employees have seemingly put their stamp on plenty of changes in the post-pandemic workplace. <\p>
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