Huntsville updates

[-=skywalker=-]

Originally Posted by Evan

It looks like someplace I know, but I can't put my finger on it. I don't hate it though. I have fond memories of Von Braun. I wish I had all the money back I spent on concerts there, I could pay cash for a new car. We didn't get a lot of big name concerts here, so we either had to go to The Ham or Huntsville.

Really? WOW! I find the Huntsville music scene lacking, not to mention any rock concert I've been to here seems to have a yuppie polo & khakis crowd, not very vocal or participating either. For REAL rock concert experiences I usually go to Nashville or Atlanta. IMO it's not a rock concert unless everyone is dressed in some kind of black.

[HSVTiger]

Not a bad thing really, now maybe a real Chevy dealer will take over that won't screw customers over(is that possible?).
They have a very large and nice facility here in Huntsville.

From Huntsville Times

Bill Heard Chevrolet has closed its Huntsville dealership and 12 others effective immediately.

The Columbus, Ga.-based parent company, Bill Heard Enterprises, issued a statement this afternoon that blamed a difficult business environment and said it "simply did not have the resources needed to continue to operate."

Officials at the local dealership, 4930 University Drive, declined to comment.

Shortly after 1 p.m. today, employees at the Huntsville store were asked to gather and told the dealership was closing and they should leave the premises, said one employee, who asked not to be identified.

The employee estimated that the Huntsville store had more than 100 employees. He said their questions about final paychecks were not addressed.

Bill Heard Enterprises lost its line of credit with GMAC last month. That prevented the company's dealerships from restocking inventory.

At one time, Bill Heard Enterprises was the nation's largest Chevy dealer.

Heard executives have also been in talks with Charlotte, N.C. automobile dealer Rick Hendrick, a source said. It is not clear which dealerships Hendrick is interested in, the source said. In addition to an ultra-sucessful NASCAR operation, Hendrick also owns more than 70 car dealerships.

[Evan]

Originally Posted by -=skywalker=-

Really? WOW! I find the Huntsville music scene lacking, not to mention any rock concert I've been to here seems to have a yuppie polo & khakis crowd, not very vocal or participating either. For REAL rock concert experiences I usually go to Nashville or Atlanta. IMO it's not a rock concert unless everyone is dressed in some kind of black.

HAH! Yeah, but I grew up in Gadsden in the 70's and 80's. To us in those days, Huntsville and Birmingham were small Atlantas as far as concerts were concerned. Our parents would allow us to go into Birmingham or Huntsville for concerts, but we were not allowed to go into Atlanta. We used to get all the Huntsville and Birmingham TV stations on our cable then, so we always knew what concerts were coming to both cities.

The first Journey(shut up) and AC/DC concerts I ever went to were at VBCC.

These days though, I know little to nothing about the Huntsville music scene.

[-=skywalker=-]

Originally Posted by Evan

These days though, I know little to nothing about the Huntsville music scene.

There's a few places downtown that have live music nightly, Humphrey's is one of them. Occassionally Sammy T's will put on a live concert, but all in all if you love live music Huntsville is the last place you want to be. I'm really disappointed in Big Spring Jam, it's the same old bands year in and year out...I mean, Mercy Me has been performing every year since 2000 that I know of...The ticket prices have gone up and the number of stages and performers have been reduced. Most of the bands performing this year have been to BSJ at least once before. Thank god I got my fix for the month a few weekends ago at Buzzfest in Nashville.

[g-man435]

First fast food restaurants, now it's the music scene? Yawn.

[marvingardns]

Not a bad thing really, now maybe a real Chevy dealer will take over that won't screw customers over(is that possible?).
They have a very large and nice facility here in Huntsville.

Maybe not a bad thing for customer service, but a very bad sign nonetheless. I grow more pessemistic by the day, and I tend to view Huntsville as something like the U.S. on December 6, 1941. If the overall U.S. economy has shown signs of slowing its growth in the past two quarters, you can wager that we are almost definitely heading into a recession. Wall Street's response to the bailout package (in whatever form) will only partly tell, but the recovery of financial markets over the next quarter or so will tell more. You also don't need to wait on published economic indicators to know that consumer confidence is faltering. The average person doesn't understand what's going on, but the foreboding language of the President is a shot across the bow to the average consumer and the dollar she spends.

Huntsville, I think, is just not immune to this. I would be very surprised if any of recent announcements of business development are followed through on in the next year. Credit markets are on thin ice in July until your government (namely Congress) can agree on a bailout, and even then financial markets are to heal and stitch an open wound before capital can flow freely and with confidence again.

What does that mean? Bonds, loans and lines of credit can't be underwritten. That is everything to projects like Harris Hills, Constellation, Sweetwater, etc. That is everything to risky startups like restaurants and higher-end retail. That is everything to credit-intensive businesses like dealerships and home construction.

We're already headed for a recession. There is no avoiding that, and Huntsville will feel its pinch too. I think we should hold onto to our hats and get ready to weather hard times until at least next Q4, 2009. Expect more job losses, restaurant closings and plant shutdowns in our town and region.

[neilson]

At least nobody's predicting a Depression.

Or are they scared to call a spade a spade?

[| BRAVO |]

Originally Posted by marvingardns

Maybe not a bad thing for customer service, but a very bad sign nonetheless. I grow more pessemistic by the day, and I tend to view Huntsville as something like the U.S. on December 6, 1941. If the overall U.S. economy has shown signs of slowing its growth in the past two quarters, you can wager that we are almost definitely heading into a recession. Wall Street's response to the bailout package (in whatever form) will only partly tell, but the recovery of financial markets over the next quarter or so will tell more. You also don't need to wait on published economic indicators to know that consumer confidence is faltering. The average person doesn't understand what's going on, but the foreboding language of the President is a shot across the bow to the average consumer and the dollar she spends.

Huntsville, I think, is just not immune to this. I would be very surprised if any of recent announcements of business development are followed through on in the next year. Credit markets are on thin ice in July until your government (namely Congress) can agree on a bailout, and even then financial markets are to heal and stitch an open wound before capital can flow freely and with confidence again.

What does that mean? Bonds, loans and lines of credit can't be underwritten. That is everything to projects like Harris Hills, Constellation, Sweetwater, etc. That is everything to risky startups like restaurants and higher-end retail. That is everything to credit-intensive businesses like dealerships and home construction.

We're already headed for a recession. There is no avoiding that, and Huntsville will feel its pinch too. I think we should hold onto to our hats and get ready to weather hard times until at least next Q4, 2009. Expect more job losses, restaurant closings and plant shutdowns in our town and region.

ugh... I come here to get away from reality.
Ignorance is bliss?

[OCA REP]

Originally Posted by neilson

At least nobody's predicting a Depression.

Or are they scared to call a spade a spade?

Actually someone has:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-09-24-palin-couric_N.htm

I agree with very little this woman has to say, but she may be correct on this assessment...

[neilson]

Hey Tennessee, don't write checks that your butt can't cash. Thank you Bob Riley for being responsible enough to not try and one-up TN and play into the "game" that VW had tried to suck us into all along.

http://blog.al.com/breaking/2008/09/lamar_alexander_financial_cris.html

Lamar Alexander: Financial crisis could affect VW plant
Posted by The Associated Press September 25, 2008 1:44 PM
Categories: Economy

NASHVILLE -- Sen. Lamar Alexander says Congress urgently needs to agree on how to address America's financial crisis that is already reaching far beyond Wall Street.

The Tennessee Republican says Volkswagen executives told him recently that the automaker's credit branch is having trouble securing the $300 million it borrows each month to make car loans.

Alexander says VW's plans for a new plant in Chattanooga could be affected if that credit crunch gets worse, and people aren't able to buy VW cars.

Alexander says another issue of importance to Tennesseans that's working its way through Congress is an extension for the sales tax exemption for states that don't have an income tax.

The Senate has already passed its version of the extension, and Alexander is urging the House to follow suit.

[Jacknah]

.

[Jacknah]

Originally Posted by marvingardns

Maybe not a bad thing for customer service, but a very bad sign nonetheless. I grow more pessemistic by the day, and I tend to view Huntsville as something like the U.S. on December 6, 1941. If the overall U.S. economy has shown signs of slowing its growth in the past two quarters, you can wager that we are almost definitely heading into a recession. Wall Street's response to the bailout package (in whatever form) will only partly tell, but the recovery of financial markets over the next quarter or so will tell more. You also don't need to wait on published economic indicators to know that consumer confidence is faltering. The average person doesn't understand what's going on, but the foreboding language of the President is a shot across the bow to the average consumer and the dollar she spends.

Huntsville, I think, is just not immune to this. I would be very surprised if any of recent announcements of business development are followed through on in the next year. Credit markets are on thin ice in July until your government (namely Congress) can agree on a bailout, and even then financial markets are to heal and stitch an open wound before capital can flow freely and with confidence again.

What does that mean? Bonds, loans and lines of credit can't be underwritten. That is everything to projects like Harris Hills, Constellation, Sweetwater, etc. That is everything to risky startups like restaurants and higher-end retail. That is everything to credit-intensive businesses like dealerships and home construction.

We're already headed for a recession. There is no avoiding that, and Huntsville will feel its pinch too. I think we should hold onto to our hats and get ready to weather hard times until at least next Q4, 2009. Expect more job losses, restaurant closings and plant shutdowns in our town and region.

We're not headed for a recession. Obviously we're already in one and most likely have been in one for the last few months.

[Jugernagt]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

Not a bad thing really, now maybe a real Chevy dealer will take over that won't screw customers over(is that possible?).

What ashame, I have purchased several vehicles, including commercial vehicles, from Bill Heard with no problems. Probably because I knew what I wanted when I went there. I hate to see 2700 people lose their jobs.

[HSVTiger]

New parking deck at UAH is nearing completion






Parker Building photos

[SpawnOfVulcan]

That's one nice parking deck. If anyone wants to check out how road construction is doing in Decatur (oddly enough, there is actually quite a bit going on) check out the blog, I finally put up a new post.

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by Jugernagt

What ashame, I have purchased several vehicles, including commercial vehicles, from Bill Heard with no problems. Probably because I knew what I wanted when I went there. I hate to see 2700 people lose their jobs.

I wouldn't be too concerned the turnover rate at the HSV dealership was extremely high. Very few customers would have anything good to say about Bill Heard. Now the service department was actually at one time well managed and did quality work. I would think most of these folks could go down the street to another dealer and get hired. I hope so. The main reason they closed is due to poor mangement policies, false advertising, bait and switch, not the economy.

[Jugernagt]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

I wouldn't be too concerned the turnover rate at the HSV dealership was extremely high. Very few customers would have anything good to say about Bill Heard. Now the service department was actually at one time well managed and did quality work. I would think most of these folks could go down the street to another dealer and get hired. I hope so. The main reason they closed is due to poor mangement policies, false advertising, bait and switch, not the economy.

I figured most of the sales people probably did run down to the new CarMax for jobs, most of them are drifters anyway. But there are positions that are harder to get employment like technicians and clerical jobs.

But I doubt the crooked dealership syndrome was the main cause. If that was the case then most of all the dealerships would be closing. I doubt if any auto dealership ever gets into some kind of stupid lawsuit, we live in a litigious society today. This the main reason most dealerships choose to have customers sign arbitration agreements.

[mlog]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

I wouldn't be too concerned the turnover rate at the HSV dealership was extremely high. Very few customers would have anything good to say about Bill Heard. Now the service department was actually at one time well managed and did quality work. I would think most of these folks could go down the street to another dealer and get hired. I hope so. The main reason they closed is due to poor mangement policies, false advertising, bait and switch, not the economy.

An article in the paper said that GMAC shut off Heard's credit on inventory, which is tied to the economy (credit and banking crisis).

[marvingardns]

We're not headed for a recession. Obviously we're already in one and most likely have been in one for the last few months.

I tend to agree, and started in March 2008. There is no doubt our economic growth has slowed, but a recession is not the books yet. Usually when a 'recession' shows up in the GDP figures it is already ending. But I also tend to view a recession as a mass psychological phenomenon. The American consumer has been incredibly resilient in their spending and demand despite high energy & food prices, which has helped to mitigate the impact of the housing crisis.

Read this morning that Bass Pro Shops is pushing their groundbreaking at Sweetwater well into 2009.

[HSVTiger]

Geology causes change at Constellation. Not sure what is being flipped but
a slight delay in any case. This is common downtown as there are many underground voids, caves etc.

By GINA HANNAH
Times Business Writer [email protected]
Large variations in bedrock force footprint of development to flip

A hotel planned for the Constellation development downtown will have to be redesigned because of the geology of the site.

Scott McLain, who's developing the mixed-use project off Clinton Avenue near South Memorial Parkway, said crews have discovered nearly 50-foot variations in the depth of the bedrock where the six-story SpringHill Suites was to be built. McLain said construction likely will be delayed for a couple of months.

"Everything will proceed as scheduled," McLain said Monday. "It's just that the footprint will be flipped."

The 153-room SpringHill is the first of two hotels slated for Constellation. The second, also expected to be a Marriott brand, will begin construction after the SpringHill is completed.

In addition, Yedla Management of Huntsville, which will develop and operate the hotels, plans to build a 3,500-square-foot meeting space connecting the hotels. Construction costs for the SpringHill and meeting space are estimated at $20 million.