|
Posted on Sun, 01/29/2012 - 05:44 PM by
viewed 70 times
Times Square being the crossroads of New York, it follows that One Times Square is the center of the known universe. This is, after all, the place where they drop the ball to mark the start of each New Year on planet Earth. Half a million people walk through Times Square each and every day, and ten million people see Times Square on television each day. Canton, it ain't. It is a place where even staid financial firms have electronic billboards the size of small houses and the ABC television billboard alone is 3700 square feet. Times Square is place where there is a municipal ordinance requiring office buildings to have lighting bright enough to illuminate the streets below. So when legendary Broadway impresario Hal Prince walked past the Dunkin Donuts billboard advertising K-cups, trouble was a brewin'. A 21-time Tony Award winner, the 84 year-old Prince remains a perfectionist when it comes to Broadway. The billboard may have been just fine for the folks in Iowa or even (heaven forbid) New Jersey. But Times Square? Nestled between bubbling Budweisers and snazzy Toshiba tablets, the simple static photo of a K-cup was a stinging offense to the denziens of the world's most important city. After Prince shot off a letter to Nigel Travis educating him as to the high level of performance expected on Broadway, the chastened exec ordered that the sign be converted into something more snazzy. A new full-motion video sign is expected to be operational by June. Story in NY Post. MORE NEWS FROM BLUEMAUMAUTaxes and the DeficitNormally, this column is supposed to cover the tax changes over the prior year and how they impact the hospitality industry. Last year, we commented about how 2010 was an interesting year but little in the tax field had passed. 2010 was all about health care reform, the change in control of the House and the rise of the tea party. It was a very political and partisan year. If anything, 2011 was worse. Never has so little been accomplished by so many. Brinkmanship was the key word for 2011. It will be known more for what did not occur rather than what did. It is not unusual for partisan politics to take center stage in an election year. While 2011 was not, the race for the Presidency and control of the House and Senate began before all the winners from 2010 were known. National Press Writes about Restaurant FranchisingOn May 18th, the national press, both The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, wrote about restaurant franchising. Some additional notes are warranted. Mediation: Good, Bad or It Depends?Mediation is often touted as the greatest thing since sliced bread for faster, fairer, and cheaper dispute resolution. Is it? Going International? Don’t Forget One Important ThingFranchisors that are considering exporting their franchise concept to other countries are advised to prepare by following a checklist of key items. However, there is one area that is often overlooked or shortchanged in the process. Going Green Costs Franchisees Much GreenBeing forced to buy imaginary products is just one of the nonsensical results of government policy affecting franchisors and franchisees. RELATED SMALL BUSINESS NEWSMobile Franchises: Do You Like Cars? Hot Franchise Topic: Getting a LoanIt seems like the entire franchise industry is focused on funding, and with good reason; franchise loans are still a bit challenging to secure. Good News, U.S. Hotel Profit RecoveryAccording to the new PKF Trends survey, the U.S. lodging industry produced a 12.7% profit growth in 2011. 80.5% of participating hotels enjoyed an increase in total revenue while 72.3% achieved growth in profits. The recently released 2012 edition of Trends presents data from a sample of nearly 7000 financial statements of United States hotels. For the Trends report, hotel profits are defined as net operating income (NOI) before deductions for capital reserves, rent, interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization. Federal Court Invalidates "Quickie" Union Election Rule, For NowOn May 14, 2012, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia set aside a controversial final rule of the National Labor Relations Board ("NLRB") that was designed to make it easier and faster for unions to hold organizing elections. Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America, et al. v. NLRB, Case No. 11-02262 (D.D.C. May 14, 2012). Business groups are hailing the decision, but the celebration may be short lived. Because the ruling was essentially decided on a procedural point, the NLRB may seek to resurrect the rule, which creates a very short window for union elections, and leaves employers with little time to react to an organized union campaign. Field Representatives Coach Franchisees to Victory
A good coach will make his players see what they can be rather than what they are. |
Get funding to grow your small businessLet us help you find the best financing option for your business needs.
Stay up-to-date with our small business newsletterTweet, +1, and Like FunderFollow Us |
|
Copyright © 2012 RBF Management, LLC | Lighter Capital Network™ Privacy Policy | contact@funder.org |