Displaying items tagged: economic development
Pure Michigan freshens up campaign with new voices, faces
The state’s tourism office is taking the Pure Michigan advertising campaign in a “fresh” direction heading into the peak tourism season.
Legislators OK $410 million for Ford, Our Next Energy plants; Gotion project still waits
LANSING — Michigan will give companies $410 million to open two electric vehicle battery plants following approval of transfers by a legislative panel on Wednesday.
Western Michigan University partners with 3 tribes on graduate tribal governance certificate
KALAMAZOO — Western Michigan University, in coordination with three local tribal nations, will begin offering a graduate certificate program in tribal governance in early 2023.
Economic developers work to build public trust in massive manufacturing projects
After spending months behind the scenes on complex negotiations and crafting incentive packages to lure major advanced manufacturers, Michigan economic development organizations now face another challenge to landing projects: public sentiment.
Factory Yards developer to seek up to $103M in ‘transformational brownfield’ funding for Grand Rapids project
GRAND RAPIDS — Developers behind the $150 million Factory Yards redevelopment south of downtown Grand Rapids plan to seek rarely used state tax incentives to offset substantial costs of the project.
Tribal gaming authority settles dispute with casino developers
Kewadin Casinos Gaming Authority has agreed to pay developers up to $35 million to settle a dispute over failed casino projects in Michigan.
Tribal economic development firm diversifying with two new consultancies
MOUNT PLEASANT — The economic development subsidiary of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan has launched two new consulting firms that aim to further diversify the tribe’s holdings and also support similar strategies for other tribes and non-tribally owned businesses.
Corewell. Stellantis. Biggby. What makes a new name stick?
In 1995, Bob Fish thought he had come up with a creative play on words for the name of his new East Lansing coffee shop. It wasn’t until after opening that he learned it was also a slur.
More indictments likely to come tied to Michigan’s early cannabis ‘gold rush’
The federal corruption charges announced Thursday against former Michigan House Speaker Rick Johnson and three others likely signal a beginning, not an end.
‘There is no communist plot’: Gotion responds to Big Rapids-area battery plant criticism
Gotion Inc.’s top North American executive said Wednesday that the Chinese company is targeting July to start construction on a planned $2.4 billion battery parts plant in the Big Rapids area.
West Michigan private jet provider merging with Florida company to expand offerings
CASCADE TWP. — West Michigan private jet service provider Northern Jet Management Inc. plans to merge into a Florida company to create a top-20 private air service provider in the U.S.
Feds charger former Michigan House speaker in marijuana investigation
LANSING — Federal prosecutors announced corruption charges Thursday against former Michigan House Speaker Rick Johnson and three others in connection to bribes paid for marijuana licenses.
Holland residents to determine future of waterfront in May election
HOLLAND — A May ballot initiative in which city voters will determine a potential land swap will make or break decades-long efforts to redevelop industrial waterfront property near downtown Holland.
Michigan’s meeting facilities adapt post-pandemic amid slow return of corporate events
Corporations and associations might not yet be hosting in-person events at the scale they once did, but the state’s top meeting and convention venues are optimistic about their recovery in the coming two years.
Scholten bill would increase penalties for employers who exploit child labor
A bipartisan bill introduced today by U.S. Rep. Hillary Scholten would beef up penalties levied on companies that use illegal child labor practices.
$120 million state grant for Ford project megasite in Marshall approved
State economic officials approved Tuesday a $120.3 million grant for site readiness at a megasite in Marshall, where Ford Motor Co. is building a $3.5 billion battery factory.
‘It’s a noble profession’: Land surveyors are aging and retiring in Michigan amid ongoing needs
Over the past seven years, Michigan experienced a 12-percent decline in the number of active land surveyors, raising questions about the future of a profession that a wide variety of other industries depend on to keep projects moving.
MiBiz Growth Report: March 27, 2023
A roundup of mergers and acquisitions, expansions, and other growth plans across West Michigan.
Whitmer signs repeal of right-to-work law, reinstatement of prevailing wage
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has signed into law bills repealing the state’s “right-to-work” law and reinstating a law that requires higher wages and benefits to be paid on state-financed construction projects.
Michigan communities stretch child care grants to address a lingering shortage
GRAND RAPIDS — Even as the COVID-19 pandemic recedes, quality child care remains hard to come by for many Michigan families. That’s due in part to providers who left the field and didn’t return — and a handful of Michigan organizations hope to use new state grants to reverse the trend.
Ford factory subsidies, at $690,000 per job, tally up to much more than other deals
LANSING — Michigan notched a win with Ford Motor Co’'s decision to build a $3.5 billion, 2,500-job electric vehicle battery factory in Marshall.
State of the City: Mayor Bliss outlines ‘next version of Grand Rapids’
GRAND RAPIDS — Mayor Rosalynn Bliss outlined the “next version” of Grand Rapids during her eighth State of the City address, emphasizing the need for more housing density to meet demand, completing major riverfront projects and improving policing.
Grand Rapids residents prioritize housing, transportation, sustainability in next master plan
GRAND RAPIDS — Sustainability, transportation and placemaking are top priorities for Grand Rapids residents as city officials prepare a 20-year master plan to guide future development.
Ottawa County explores $27M public-private partnership to deploy broadband countywide
Ottawa County would extend broadband internet service to unserved and underserved areas of the county through a $27 million public-private partnership with a southeast Michigan firm.
Waséyabek leader lecturing at Harvard on tribal economic development success
GRAND RAPIDS — Deidra Mitchell, president and CEO of Waséyabek Development Co. LLC, was selected to guest lecture at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government to promote best practices in tribal economic development.
$8.5M Grand Rapids spending plan calls for affordable housing, neighborhood investments
GRAND RAPIDS — City officials have released a plan for spending $8.5 million in federal funding primarily on repairing or building hundreds of affordable housing units and creating homeownership opportunities.
DeVos-owned Fox Motors expands metro Detroit footprint with deal for 3 dealerships
GRAND RAPIDS — Fox Motors Group LLC has widened its reach on the southeast side of the state, acquiring three new dealerships and a collision center in metro Detroit.
MiBiz on WOOD-TV8: Local governments get creative with cannabis tax revenue
Local governments across Michigan are using cannabis excise tax revenue to fund basic public services as well as programs that aim to expand equity in the industry.
MiBiz Growth Report: March 13, 2023
A roundup of mergers and acquisitions, expansions and other briefs across West Michigan.
Tribal experts optimistic Grand River Bands will gain recognition
Tribal affairs experts say the federal government erred in determining that the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians failed to meet the criteria for federal recognition and remain optimistic that the tribe will successfully obtain the crucial designation.