The live show for Jack Daniel’s New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park will feature Grammy Award-nominated Thomas Rhett, reigning CMA and ACM Female Vocalist of the Year Lainey Wilson and Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Lynyrd Skynyrd as headliners.
The concert is free and open to the public. The five-hour CBS special will air live Sunday, Dec. 31, 6:30 p.m. on CBS and Paramount +
This will be the 15th annual concert and seventh year at Bicentennial Park. The event will include the famed red Music Note, which will be dropped on a 138-foot tower at midnight to ring in the new year. As a live event, the Big Bash generates as much as $38 million in direct visitor spending and attendance of 200,000, with more than half being local residents, the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp reports.
IVX Health named on Best Places to Work list
Modern Healthcare has named IVX Health as one of the Best Places to Work in Healthcare in 2023, an annual program that identifies and honors 150 outstanding companies and organizations in the health care industry nationwide.
Modern Healthcare ranked IVX Health No. 45 overall in one of its two category designations. This award marks the fifth consecutive year IVX Health has been recognized in the prestigious Best Places to Work list.
The Best Places to Work award program identifies and recognizes outstanding employers in the health care industry nationwide. Modern Healthcare partners with the Best Companies Group on the assessment process, which includes an extensive employee survey.
TDHS ups child care agency reimbursements
As part of the commitment to improve affordable child care services for Tennesseans across the state, the Tennessee Department of Human Services is taking significant steps to bolster child care access for families in need.
Beginning Oct. 1, a majority of licensed child care agencies participating in the Child Care Certificate Program will receive increased reimbursement rates. Under the Child Care Certificate program, the state pays a reimbursement rate directly to child care providers on behalf of families who are enrolled and meet the income and work or education requirements of the program.
In collaboration with the University of Tennessee’s Boyd Center for Business & Economic Research, TDHS has conducted a comprehensive market rate survey to inform rate adjustments within the Child Care Development Fund budget to adjust funding support for child care providers participating in the state’s Child Care Payment Assistance Programs to at least the 60th percentile of the Market Rate Survey.
All adjustments have been made effective as of Oct. 1, and will lead to increased reimbursement rates for the majority of child care levels, benefiting families across the state.
To further address deficits in capacity, TDHS has also updated a comprehensive mapping of child care deserts in partnership with UT’s Social Work Office of Research and Public Service. This mapping has identified areas with a deficit of 250-plus child care slots to meet the demand of children younger than 6 with all parents in the labor force. These findings will result in adjustments to the counties identified that will receive the 15% Child Care Desert differential.
Blattner expands with Indoor Lab acquisition
Blattner Technologies has announced its acquisition of The Indoor Lab, a cutting-edge lidar analytics company with AI-powered, advanced perception software and end to end data analytics.
Earlier this month The Indoor Lab announced a partnership with Tampa International Airport to create the “world’s first Living Lidar Lab partnership.” Now, the strategic acquisition of The Indoor Lab by Blattner Technologies positions the combined company as the world’s largest and foremost AI-powered lidar company.
This acquisition unites two industry powerhouses, combining an impressive roster of leading consumer brands with lidar and AI technology to pave the way for the next generation of autonomous airports, transit stations and construction sites.
Lidar, an acronym for “Light Detection and Ranging,” has been utilized for years to measure the Earth’s topographical surface and, more recently, for autonomous vehicles. The Indoor Lab is at the forefront of adapting this privacy-compliant technology for airport use. This allows airports to deploy a single technology both indoor and outdoor, day and night.
The combined entity will continue to focus on the research, development and commercialization of advanced AI-powered lidar systems. With a commitment to creating best-in-class solutions, the organization aims to accelerate the adoption of lidar technology across airports, transportation hubs and construction projects.
Argyle Real Estate buys Easton Place property
Argyle Real Estate Partners LLC, a real estate investment firm focused on multifamily acquisitions in the Southeast and Texas, announced the acquisition of Easton Place, a core-plus community located in Murfreesboro. The acquisition marks the company’s first in the Nashville MSA.
“Given the overall decline in CRE transactions we’ve seen this year, we’re especially pleased to have gotten this deal across the finish line,” says Ryan Reyes, CEO and managing partner for Argyle. “Easton Place is a great addition to our portfolio in a submarket that continues to see positive net migration by residents seeking a little more bang for their buck. We look forward to identifying more opportunities in the Music City.”
Built in 2019, Easton Place is a 184-unit, garden-style community.
The company states it will deploy a conservative capital expenditure plan that includes a minor property refresh, while the business plan, to be overseen by Greystar, will focus on driving lease-ups and maximizing operations.
GOGO Charters comes to Nashville
GOGO Charters, a leading national brand for charter bus and shuttle services, has begun offering services in Nashville. GOGO Charters offers one-time and recurring group transportation solutions for various excursions, gatherings and special events.
“Nashville, the musical capital of the United States, needs reliable and comfortable group transportation services,” says Farzin Parsa, president of GOGO Charters. “That’s exactly what GOGO Charters provides. Whether you’re exploring the rich history of the home of country music or organizing a corporate event, our round-the-clock team is committed to delivering exceptional transportation solutions.”
The company’s versatile vehicle fleet accommodates groups of all sizes, ranging from minibuses for 18-30 people to full-size motor coaches for up to 56 people and even party buses.
To date, GOGO Charters has traveled more than million miles and completed more than 20,000 trips, solidifying its track record of dependability and excellence.
GOGO Charters’ luxury buses and shuttles are equipped with premium amenities, including onboard Wi-Fi, climate-controlled cabins, spacious legroom, comfortable reclining seats, ample storage space, entertainment systems with TVs, top-of-the-line sound systems with PA capabilities, AM/FM radio, power outlets, onboard restrooms and more.
Tractor Supply makes Fortune’s workplace list
Tractor Supply Company, the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the United States, announced it has been named to Fortune’s 2023 list of Best Workplaces in Retail.
Fortune Media and Great Place to Work compiled the annual list recognizing 35 retail organizations with a workplace culture that attracts the industry’s best talent. This was Tractor Supply’s inaugural inclusion on the list.
The Best Workplaces in Retail are chosen based on analysis of survey responses from more than 133,000 employees at Great Place To Work Certified companies in the retail industry.
Survey responses reflect a comprehensive picture of the workplace experience. Honorees were selected based on their ability to offer positive outcomes for employees regardless of job role, race, gender, sexual orientation, work status or other demographic identifiers.
Tractor Supply has been Great Place to Work Certified for four consecutive years. Certification is based on employee feedback and independent analysis to identify employers who create an outstanding employee experience.
Redfin: Home prices drop on mortgage rate climb
Roughly one in 15 – 6.5% – U.S. homes for sale had a price drop during the four weeks ending Sept. 24, on average, up from 5.8% a month earlier, a sharp monthly increase compared to the same period in years past, according to a new report from Redfin.
At the same time, the median home-sale price is up 3% year over year and the typical homebuyer’s monthly payment is at a record high as mortgage rates stay stubbornly elevated, with daily average rates hitting a two-decade high Sept. 27.
What this means for home sellers: Pricing your home right is a delicate science. Even though demand is relatively low, you’re likely to find a buyer who will pay a fair price.
That’s because there are so few homes on the market, with total inventory down 15% year over year. But with monthly payments at an all-time high, buyers are picky and they don’t want to pay a dollar more than they need to.
Be careful not to price too high, or you may be forced to cut your asking price to attract a buyer. “The feeling for buyers right now is this: For the interest rate I’m paying, this home better be exactly what I want or the price better be negotiable,” says Seattle Redfin agent David Palmer.
What this means for homebuyers: Negotiate with sellers. It’s still tough to win a home for under asking price, but sellers have come to terms with the fact that 7%-plus mortgage rates are giving buyers cold feet and that homes aren’t as likely to attract multiple offers.
Pinnacle now No. 2 largest bank in TN
Pinnacle Financial Partners is the No. 1 bank in the Nashville MSA based on deposits for the sixth consecutive year, according to Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. data as of June 30, and rose to be the second biggest bank in Tennessee.
The firm overtook Regions for the No. 2 spot statewide, adding $3.49 billion in Tennessee deposits for a total of $26.85 billion and an annual growth rate of 14.94%. That represents 12.10% of statewide market share.
Locally in the Nashville MSA, Pinnacle now holds $19.49 billion in deposits, having grown by $2.79 billion in 12 months for a 16.73% growth rate and 20.83% of market share. Its nearest competitor, Bank of America, is No. 2 with 14.48% of market share and $13.55 billion in deposits as of June 30. Pinnacle had far and away the highest deposit growth of any other bank in the market, outpacing second place by more than $2.4 billion.