Daily Record Financial News &
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Vol. 103, No. 022 • One Section
35¢ www.jaxdailyrecord.com
Goal is quality, not quantity Rivas ‘quietly optimistic’ about scaled-down One Spark By Max Marbut Staff Writer
Rivas
Seven weeks before the deadline for applications to showcase ideas at One Spark 2016, festival co-founder and CEO Elton Rivas is “quietly optimistic.” That’s because about 100 exhibitors, dubbed “creators,” have applied for inclusion in the fourth edition of the event, scheduled April 7-9. Rivas is quantifying his confidence about participation because One Spark’s prize format has
Cookware company to open in Mandarin
undergone a significant change. Next year, awards will be based solely on crowdfunding — the process through which people contribute funds to the ideas and businesses exhibited. In the first three years, private donations — primarily from Peter Rummell, chair of One Spark’s board of directors — were used to establish prize and bonus structures. In 2015, $350,000 was given to exhibitors based on votes cast by attendees. One Spark says 320,000 people
attended last year’s festival and cast 117,000 votes for their favorite projects. Attendees contributed just $93,000 in crowdfunding — about 29 cents per person. That has to change in 2016. “We’ll be encouraging the audience to find and fund a project they love,” Rivas said. Organizers also made the decision to downsize the fourth festival, in terms of how many Downtown blocks will be designated for the event, how many creators will be involved and how long it lasts. The 2016 festival schedule is
shortened from five days to three. One Spark’s staff was cut from 11 to four. “One of the lessons we’ve learned is that a full-time annual staff for a one-week festival is a luxury we can’t afford,” Rummell said in August when the changes were announced. Nearly 550 projects were shown at One Spark 2015. Next year, a maximum of 50 exhibitors will be permitted in each of six categories: arts and culture, education, lifestyle, health and wellness, One Spark continued on Page A-4
Hauling away for safe keeping
Seattle-based Sur La Table intends to open its first Jacksonville store next fall in Mandarin Landing. The company, with more than 115 stores nationwide, sells cookware, cutlery, dinnerware, food, coffee and tea and more. It also offers a culinary program. Sur La Table said construction is expected to start in July toward an October opening, although that date is subject to change. The stores employ more than 20 full- and part-time employees. Mandarin Landing is at 10601 San Jose Blvd. and features Whole Foods, Office Depot and Kirkland’s home décor. The neighborhood shopping center is along San Jose Boulevard at Hartley Road, north of Interstate 295. The company did not have an exact address for the store within the center. Sur La Table CEO Diane Neal issued a statement that Jacksonville residents “will now be able to discover our unparalleled selection of exclusive and premium-quality goods for the kitchen and dining table and experience first-hand the passion of our lauded culinary program.” She said the store will offer a diverse schedule of hands-on cooking classes, led by classically trained chefs. Sur La Table was founded in 1972 by Shirley Collins, who opened the first store in Seattle’s Pike Place Market. It is now owned by Investcorp. The upscale kitchen retailer says it carries thousands of products for the kitchen, including barware, electric items, gadgets, glassware and table décor. Its cooking-class program began in 1996 and is one of the largest avocational programs in the country, it says. More than 300,000 students take part each year. Mathis continued on Page A-2
Public
Workers on Monday used I-beams, hydraulic jacks and a forklift to carefully raise the old bank safe from the Bostwick Building onto a flatbed trailer. The circa-1880s safe weighs about 30,000 pounds. The safe will be stored in a warehouse owned by Jacques Klempf, who bought the Bostwick Building. The historic Downtown structure is undergoing a restoration and will reopen as the Cowford Chophouse in the summer.
Photo by Carole Hawkins
Sur La Table also has culinary program
Many ready for action on HRO By David Chapman Staff Writer A little less conversation, a little more action. It’s what some members of City Council and many in the community are expecting from Mayor Lenny Curry after tonight’s third and final community conversation on discrimination. Discussions about expanding local discrimination laws to include lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people have taken place over the past month. It’s been part of Curry’s plan to lead the conversation, listen and then possibly act. “I think there will be enough to act on,”
legal notices begin on page
A-9
said council member Jim Love. “I think a good bill can be crafted that will meet the needs of the citizens.” Love attended the forum on discrimination and religion Dec. 3 at Edward Waters College. He maintains the law needs to be expanded and thinks Curry will introduce legislation to do as much. Love bases that on signals from Curry, including the One City, One Jacksonville mantra the mayor promotes. And if Curry doesn’t introduce legislation, council member Tommy Hazouri said he will. The mayor, he said, is “absolutely” on the clock after tonight when it comes to promoting a bill expanding the law.
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“I’m waiting on the mayor,” Hazouri said. “If he offers legislation that’s all inclusive, I’d congratulate him.” If not, though, Hazouri said he’ll file a bill in the next couple of months. He went to the first community conversation on the law and families and children Nov. 17 at Florida State College at Jacksonville. He said since talks began he hasn’t “heard anything I haven’t heard 1,000 times.” “I think people’s minds are made up,” he said. Council President Greg Anderson is one whose mind isn’t yet made up. He hasn’t heard a lot of room for compromise on the issue from advocates or supporters, which HRO continued on Page A-3
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