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Beer brewer feuding with Franklin over incentives

Anthony Schoettle
July 15, 2010
Keywords
Economic Development, Economic Development Agencies, Economic Development Incentives, Franklin, Government & Economic Development, Indiana Economic Development Corp., Job Creation, Johnson County, Regional News, Tax Credits
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A disagreement about how much financial information a San Diego-based beer brewer must submit to the city of Franklin to receive financial incentives has postponed the company’s plan to establish operations in the city south of Indianapolis.

In April, the Indiana Economic Development Corp. offered TailGate Beer up to $1.85 million in performance-based tax credits and $100,000 in training grants based on the company's plan to create as many as 150 jobs over the next three years in a multi-million-dollar production, packaging and distribution facility.
 
Franklin and Johnson County Development Corp. officials are considering more than doubling that incentive package, but are demanding details of the company’s most recent fiscal statement.

TailGate officials said in April they hoped to be operating in Franklin by mid-summer, and told Franklin officials they are now concerned the move can’t be completed by its peak season, which coincides with the football season. Company officials were not available for comment Thursday morning.

TailGate executives, upset over Franklin officials' unwillingness to approve incentives, have billed the city nearly $107,000 for travel and accounting expenses as well as lost business. Franklin Mayor Fred Paris is adamant that the city owes Tailgate nothing, but city officials are keen to settle the feud and have Tailgate open its local plant.

“The city has moved as quickly as it can while still trying to be prudent,” said Craig Wells, Franklin Development Corp. CEO. “We would like more detailed financial information before we finalize our decision. So far, they’ve only sent us cursory financial information from their tax returns.”

TailGate owner Wesley Keegan, a 24-year-old who founded the company right after graduating from San Diego State University two years ago, told IBJ in April that Tailgate considered numerous sites in 12 states before deciding on Indiana for expansion.

Frankllin has worked to secure the former Klaisler Manufacturing building at 1800 Musicland Drive for Tailgate, and Wells said the 48,000-square-foot building could be ready for the beer brewer to move in within three months.
 

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  1. First, the Athenaeum is going to have to get past the hurdle with the Lockerbie residents and the agreement that the parcel would be residential. Second, and in my opinion, this prime piece of property should include parking, PLUS, a black box theater(s), some market rate and affordable artist housing and a plan to renovate and reconfigure the second story theater. I would negotiate to add the DeHaan property surface parking lot into the development mix, place a one story surface parking garage on the DeHaan lot on the street level (for the Dehaan tenants use during the daytime) and add a second story to the garage that would become an addition to the current second story theater and then change the direction of the theater by moving the stage across the alley and on top of the DeHaan lot parking. You can add all the stage elements that are currently missing from the Athenaeum stage to make it more attractive for use by Ballet, Opera and traveling productions. Plus, the theater changes would probably help solve some of the soundproofing issues. Alas,it does not seem to be a part of the strategic plan to conduct a study to determine best use of the property. Seems like the current plan is a quick and easy move that ignores the property best use/potential and any strategic property planning for the effect on future generations.

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  3. Accoriding to their website there is no deadline to the Do Not Call list. What is this article referring to??

  4. On what planet are they entitled to this largesse from the stockholders? These people make multi-million dollar salaries: Pay for your own personal travel.

  5. It matters because they're already paid enormously fat salaries: Pay for your own personal travel. Being "taxed on it" isn't a valid excuse--so what? They're still being gifted a raft of luxury perks from somebody else's money on top of an enormous, lavish salary.

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