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Isaac Brokers site for huge Richmond retail center
Richmond will soon challenge Lexington's Hamburg Pavilion Mall as a draw to regional shoppers.
Jim Kemper, vice president, NAI Isaac Commercial Properties, exclusively represented the buyer, Richmond Centre, LLC (a venture between Carolina Holdings, Inc. and Crosland, Inc.), in the acquisition of 120 acres in the northwest quadrant of Interstate 75 and the Eastern Bypass (Barnes Mill Road) in Richmond for the construction of a major retail center.
The 120-acre, multi-use development is to include approximately 800,000 square feet of retail space for traditional and discount department stores, category-specific retailers not represented in the market, a bookstore, a stadium-seating theatre, hotels and casual dining restaurants. Anchors are Meijer, JCPenney, Belk, Home Depot and Cinemark Theatre. Construction is scheduled to begin this month and completion is set for the third quarter of 2008. Richmond Centre, Kemper said, will be the largest retail development between Lexington and Knoxville, Tenn., as well as the premier regional shopping, entertainment and hospitality venue for south-central Kentucky.
Hotels briefed on World Games planning
Area hotels are being urged to participate in a Housing Bureau established for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010. The bureau, managed by Krista Greathouse of Short's Sports Events and Logistics, will coordinate bookings and other aspects of hospitality for competitors and their entourages, sponsors, officials, volunteers, vendors, contractors and spectators.
At a hospitality industry briefing at the Marriott Griffin Gate, World Games Foundation officials said a dozen area hotels have signed-on so far, providing only a fraction of the estimated 15,000 nights of lodging needed. Terry Johnson, the Foundation's Vice President for external affairs, stressed that non-participating hotels will not have access to shuttle bus service to and from the Kentucky Horse Park, site of the 2010 event. Those hotels will have access to satellite lots which will also accommodate spectator parking and will be serviced by shuttles into and out of the park. Cars will not be permitted in the park for space and security reasons.
Hotels interested in participating in the Housing Bureau can contact Greathouse at (859) 255-2010, ext. 231 or kgreathouse@shortstravel.com.
Greathouse said plans are being made for an online provider working with a realtor to handle rentals of private homes. So far, she said, only about 5 requests for such accommodations have been received.
It will be another 30 to 60 days, the officials said, before an announcement is made concerning the development of a hotel at the Horse Park.
The officials said ticket demand is heavy and more than 11,000 people have signed-up online to serve as volunteers during the 16-day event in the late summer of 2010.
Fayette college-bound receive Lexmark printers
Lexmark has donated nearly 1,500 Lexmark Z1300 inkjet printers, valued at more than $40,000, to graduating seniors from Fayette County Public Schools. Students receiving the printers had committed to continuing their education at an accredited two- or four-year college or university.
UK hosts national agriculture conference
The University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service and UK department of agricultural economics hosted the 9th Annual National Value-Added Agriculture Conference at Lexington's Embassy Suites Hotel on June 3-5.
Kentucky's role in the value-added agriculture market has grown over the last several years as farmers continue to diversify away from tobacco production. Like all small business entrepreneurs, value-added producers face many challenges on the road to success.
This national value-added conference was developed nine years ago to provide a network for economic development professional and entrepreneurs in value-added agriculture business ventures.
Second class in UK's 11-month MBA program graduates
Fifty-six students received their MBAs during ceremonies in Memorial Hall on June 8. Of the 56, 82 percent either have jobs or are considering final offers, are actively interviewing, or plan to continue their education.
Students in the accelerated program completed 880 hours of instruction, the same as in many two-year MBA programs, together with participation and input from numerous leading corporations via the Project Connect arm of the program. Project Connect partners including Lexmark, Valvoline, Tempur-Pedic, Foam Design, United Technologies, O'Charley's, Humana, Brown Forman, Fifth Third, Kentucky Technical Textiles, Buggies Unlimited and Ryder shared the expertise and wisdom of key employees on a volunteer basis. Every student completing the program has the opportunity to earn "Green Belt" certification in Six Sigma training, a quality assurance methodology highly sought-after in today's global business environment. In addition, many students in this class have gained New Product Development (NPDP) certification. All of the students have received thorough core training in New Product Development, Supply Chain Management and Mergers and Acquisitions.
UK chosen for smart-release drug lab
Mimetic Solutions LLC has selected the University of Kentucky's on-campus business incubator, the Advanced Science and Technology Commercialization Center (ASTeCC), as the location for its research and development lab in smart-release drug-delivery technology.
Mimetic Solutions is a biopharmaceutical startup focusing on smart-release chemistry, including finely tuned drug and chemical releases in response to specific biomarkers. The first application of the technology likely will be smart release of insulin in response to blood glucose levels in diabetic patients.
Brian Windsor, managing director of Mimetic Solutions, attributed the selection of UK to "the state-of-the-art facilities and the scientific environment the University of Kentucky offers."
The company's R&D lab in ASTeCC will be headed by UK chemical engineering assistant professor Zach Hilt and University of Texas at Austin chemical engineering professor Nicholas Peppas. Hilt and Peppas worked on the core technology on which Mimetic is based. They are co-editors of one of the first nanotechnology books in the field of therapeutic drug delivery. Mimetic is managed and funded by Emergent Technologies Inc. of Austin, Texas.
Four Fayette schools cited for achievement
The Fayette Education Foundation has awarded $5,000 each to four schools for their success in narrowing the achievement gap while raising overall student performance.
Rosa Parks Elementary School, Picadome Elementary School, Maxwell Spanish Immersion Magnet Elementary and Morton Middle School were cited.
For the third consecutive year, the foundation rewarded schools that have narrowed more than 80 percent of existing achievement gaps; earned an academic index of 70 or higher on the Commonwealth Accountability and Testing System (CATS); and either posted at least a 10-point gain in reading or math, or have reading and math scores above 90. At the middle and high school level, schools must narrow at least 75 percent of existing achievement gaps to be recognized.
In 2005 and 2006, two schools achieved the required benchmarks each year. In 2007, the number of schools receiving awards doubled.
TOBA scores Aretha for '07 awards dinner
16-Grammy award winning "Queen of Soul" Aretha Franklin will headline the 22nd annual Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) National Awards Dinner. The September 8 event will be held at John G. Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale Farms.
The TOBA Awards honor the achievements of Thoroughbred owners in the four major North American racing regions and breeders in 26 states and Canada.
Tickets go on sale in July.
Time to apply for '07 small business awards
In September 2007, Commerce Lexington Inc. and the Bluegrass business community will recognize a new set of finalists for the Small Business of the Year, Minority Business of the Year and Independent Professional of the Year awards.
In selecting this year's award winners, anonymous judges look for businesses that excel in several areas, including staying power, response to adversity, community involvement, company products and services and growth. Three finalists are selected for each award, and the winners are announced at the 2007 Small Business Celebration Awards Dinner to be held Thursday, September 27, at the Griffin Gate Marriott Resort.
Limited to active members of Commerce Lexington, award applications are now available by contacting the Commerce Lexington Inc. offices (330 East Main Street, Suite 100, Lexington, 40507) at (859) 226-1600 or online at:
www.CommerceLexington.com/doc_lib/AwardsApp2007.pdf
Nominations sought for economic development honors
The Kentucky Association for Economic Development (KAED) has announced the establishment of the Kentucky Economic Development Hall of Fame.
KAED is looking for nominees for the inaugural class who have shown exceptional commitment and have significantly influenced the state's economic growth. Economic development may stem from many different industries and activities, from manufacturing to service. KAED membership is not a prerequisite for the award and nominations are open to the public.
The deadline for nominations is July 1. Nomination forms may be printed off the KAED website at www.kaedonline.org. Completed forms may be faxed or mailed to 2225 Lawrenceburg Road, Building B Suite 4, Frankfort, KY 40601, attention Mike Mangeot.
The inaugural class of inductees will be announced on Thursday, October 18, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Louisville, Ky.