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Areas of Opportunity in Columbus: Highlights from the Columbus Opportunity Summit

Client Alert

On April 27, 2023, Columbus Business First held its annual Columbus Opportunity Summit, bringing together business and economic development leaders to provide an update on how Central Ohio is preparing for expected growth in the coming years, an issue heightened by the arrival of Intel at its 1,000-acre site in Licking County, just outside of Columbus. The site will be home to two new chip factories with room to grow to a total of eight factories and is a $20 billion investment.

Logistics

Ohio already is known as the ‘heart of America.’ It is within one day’s drive of 60% of the continental U.S. Ohio is also the fourth largest rail transporter by mileage and suppliers. Areas for opportunity include supporting and scaling logistical providers and connecting local and regional supply chains.

Infrastructure

New Albany, a suburb minutes from Downtown Columbus, has earmarked $300M to grow infrastructure with a focus on connecting people to their everyday needs. This means that developing communities will include jobs, housing, groceries, and daycares in one central location. Areas for opportunity include city and regional planning with a focus on connecting to adjacent communities.

AEP is working to bring fiber to its existing broadband network and has implemented technology that helps share electricity loads to help cover areas experiencing outages. Areas for opportunity include training and hiring line workers and other skilled labor forces.

Ohio’s Site Inventory Program

Ohio has implemented its Site Inventory Program to help Ohio be competitive for site selection projects. The program provides authenticated sites that are “shovel ready,” meaning they have power and water on site and have state and federal approval without limits. There are currently 30-40 authenticated sites in Ohio.

Conclusion

Columbus has demonstrated significant growth in commerce and population, and with the arrival of Intel, central Ohio cities will need to collaborate to grow together and connect their development. Cohesive growth will be essential for competing for federal funding and building successful long-term systems. BMD has significant experience in business growth, construction law, contract negotiation, compliance with federal grant laws, and employment law issues. If you would like to discuss these topics further, please contact Kelly Jena at Kejena@bmdllc.com.


CMS Offers New Stark Waivers and More Flexibility to Health Care Providers Due to COVID-19

On March 30, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued several temporary regulatory waivers to further enable the American healthcare system to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic with more efficiency and flexibility. The official publication can be found here: Physicians and Other Clinicians: CMS Flexibilities to Fight COVID-19.

#CancelRent – What’s Next for Landlords?

Across the country, residential tenants, small businesses, and even national retailers such as Cheesecake Factory, Subway, and Mattress Firm have declared war on their landlords by refusing to pay rent on account of the Covid-19 pandemic (“COVID-19”). This has sent shockwaves through the real-estate industry. As of April 1st, residential tenants owe an estimated $40 Billion in rent. Estimates for the commercial sector are not far off. So far, federal, state, and local measures have focused on providing relief to residential and commercial tenants and even to some commercial landlords.

Record Keeping Requirements to Receive FFCRA IRS Tax Credit

On April 1, 2020, the IRS and Department of Labor issued temporary regulations to provide clarity regarding the documents required by employees requesting leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and the documentation that employers need to maintain.

Eviction & Foreclosure During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Like most areas of our society, the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the business relationships between landlords and tenants and between lenders and borrowers. In most states, non-essential retailers and other businesses have closed their doors and are doing business online, to the extent that they can. Some businesses, like The Cheesecake Factory, have announced that they would not be paying rent at any of their locations for at least a month due to the pandemic. Landlords and homeowners are concerned about being able to pay their mortgages and tenants are concerned about being able paying their rent.

UPDATED: Impact Payment Breakdown: How Much Will I Get, When Will I Get It and What Do I Need to Do?

UPDATED: The IRS announced that Social Security beneficiaries who are not typically required to file a tax return will not need to file a return to receive the economic impact payments. These payments will automatically be deposited into their bank accounts. This only applies to individuals receiving social security. Other individuals who typically do not file a tax return will still need to submit a return in order to receive the economic impact payment.