Daily Record Financial News &
Thursday, April 9, 2015
Vol. 102, No. 104 • One Section
35¢
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Exterior work for Florida Theatre
By David Chapman Staff Writer The Florida Theatre is getting a $225,000 facelift. The historic venue at 128 E. Forsyth St. is receiving $150,000 from the Florida Historical Commission, with the remaining $75,000 coming from the city’s park maintenance and improvement account. The money will be used to repair and restore the decorative terra cotta bays above the building’s signature marquee. The work includes filling and
restoring cracks throughout the exterior. “Deterioration threatens the integrity of the elaborate terra cotta balconets, banding and ornamentation on the building’s exterior,” according to a state projects list breakdown showing the significance of the theater. A target date for completion would be June 2016. It’s the only project of the 28 receiving state money that’s located in Duval County. Mayor Alvin Brown and City Council member Jim Love announced the funding this
morning at a news conference. Love said the upgrades should make the historic building more attractive to potential tenants seeking to rent space. Last year, council members approved a bill to spend $100,000 to revamp two floors of the building with hopes they’ll be rented with the revenue being used for the building’s maintenance. “It makes Downtown even more vibrant,” Love said of the most recent funding. “It’s another small step in that direction.” In a statement, Brown said the Theater... Continued on Page A-4
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$225,000 project should be complete June 2016
The Florida Theatre is receiving $225,000 in state and city money to repair the terra cotta features above the venue’s iconic marquee.
Safariland seeks help to expand
Company will invest $1.1M and add 30 jobs for incentives
Photo by Max Marbut
By Karen Brune Mathis Managing Editor
An audience for a pitch is not guaranteed, but even if there’s only one person listening, that person could be the one who will invest in an idea, said Al Emerick. He helped some presenters hone their pitches.
Making the pitch at One Spark Audiences may be small, but it only takes one
By Max Marbut Staff Writer “It’s the next generation of sweat bands.” That’s how John Fournier described “Sqoosh,” his invention for runners he presented Wednesday on the One Spark Creator Pitch Deck at Hemming Park. The pitch-deck concept has been an element of the crowdfunding festival since it debuted in 2013. One Spark co-founder and CEO Elton Rivas said providing a venue for exhibitors to pitch their ideas is a fundamental element of promoting entrepreneurship. “It brings focused energy and it’s an opportunity for creators to communi-
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cate,” Rivas said Presenters are given 10 minutes on the stage: five minutes for their talk, three minutes for any questions and two minutes to get off the stage and make way for the next pitch. Pitches are scheduled every 10 minutes from 3-9 p.m. Thursday, 11a.m.-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m.noon Sunday. In addition to the Hemming Park stage, another pitch deck is along Forsyth Street between Laura and Main streets. Al Emerick is director of the Creator Academy, where some of this year’s One Spark exhibitors honed their presentation skills. He said being able to explain an idea is a critical step toward One Spark... Continued on Page A-3
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“It’s telling a story. There has to be a beginning, a middle and an end.” Al Emerick On the elements of a good pitch
The city and state are considering $331,000 in incentives for The Safariland Group to add 30 jobs, retain 260 positions and invest $1.1 million in a local expansion in North Jacksonville. Jacksonville-based Safariland is a law enforcement and military equipment company that makes body armor, holsters, duty gear and other products. It intends to close a location in Massachusetts and transfer operations either to Jacksonville or another of its sites, according to a news release from the city. Safariland employs 260 people among two Jacksonville locations — the Jacksonville International Tradeport in North Jacksonville and an IT center on the Southside. Legislation was filed Wednesday for introduction Tuesday to City Council. The Finance Committee would consider it April 21 and full council would vote April 28. The deal calls for the city to provide incentives up to $104,400 and the state would pay for the remaining $226,600. The city would provide a $90,000 training grant, or $3,000 per job, from the Jacksonville International Airport Community Redevelopment Area Trust Fund. To qualify, at least 40 percent of the new hires, or 12, must reside in North Jacksonville, defined as north of Interstate 10 and Atlantic Boulevard. Also, 24 of the 30 jobs would qualify for a $3,000 Qualified Target Industry tax refund, of which the city would rebate 20 percent, or $600 per job. Those jobs would qualify because of their wage levels. Meanwhile, the state would provide the remaining 80 percent of the QTI, or $2,400 per job, up to $57,600. It also would provide a $39,000 Quick Response Training Grant and up to $130,000 for an Incumbent Worker Training Grant. That means the state would pay $1,300 to train each new employee and $500 for each Safariland... Continued
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