HEINER RESPONDS

The following was sent as a press release by Hal Heiner in response to Chris Thieneman. My apologies for not getting it posted yesterday as I was in frankfort all day and headed straight to the Radio Show last night.

Read it over and let me know your thoughts.

Heiner Sets the Record Straight

Louisville, KY – Yesterday, Hal Heiner’s opponent leveled several false and reckless claims about Mr. Heiner’s successful history of job attraction. The statements are especially concerning because Hal’s opponent does not realize that businesses and families rely on the regional nature of our economy. His opponent’s lack of understanding of the basic economics of job creation has led the campaign to set the record straight.

Facts:

1. Hal Heiner has worked in the business of job attraction for the past two decades, including working with site consultants and business owners from around the world on their expansion needs.

2. Hal Heiner left a real estate company and used his life savings to found his own company, Capstone Realty, which developed Commerce Crossings, a 300 acre business park located at the Preston Highway and Gene Snyder Freeway. The Commerce Crossings' area employed 0 people in 1997 and today employs over 4,000 people in 20 buildings.

3. In 2006 Capstone Realty expanded into Southern Indiana and built four buildings on an existing commercial site in Jeffersonville, Indiana called River Ridge. This site was a previously abandoned military ammunition facility that today employs over 1,000 people in four buildings built by Capstone.

4. Capstone’s River Ridge phase began when two global companies, based outside of Kentucky, approached Capstone regarding spec space at River Ridge. These companies decided to expand and relocate approximately 440 jobs from Louisville to Jeffersonville, IN. These jobs could have relocated anywhere in the world but the companies decided to stay in our economic region for their expansion. The companies chose to locate in commercial space built by Capstone at River Ridge. As mayor of a globally competitive city, Hal Heiner will work to bring jobs to Louisville. When a company decides to locate outside Louisville, Hal's goal will be to keep the jobs in the region rather than let the jobs escape our economy. The bottom line is that Louisvillians kept their jobs and continue to bring their paychecks home to Louisville every week.

5. Louisville is the core of a regional economy. Job attraction numbers quoted by our campaign are those published by the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics for our regional economy, which includes surrounding counties and Southern Indiana. Therefore, jobs moving from Louisville to Jeffersonville or from Jeffersonville to Louisville are not counted as jobs gained or lost in that economic data.

This campaign season for mayor is critically important for the future of Louisville. Wild accusations issued by candidates have the potential to reduce this race to a school yard brawl. Should this happen, Louisville loses.

Let's keep this community wide debate focused on Louisville's future so that 2011 becomes our best year ever.