US Economy thread

[Pakuni]

There is lots of training and skills development here, not to mention sustainable energy to power the whole complex. This is a huge win for The State.

It shows the power of being in a battle ground state. First the infrastructure and now someone extremely legitimate comes in.

It is a competitive market. We had multiple states bidding on a project we had that was relatively small in the greater scheme of things( 200,000 square feet and about 150 jobs when fully up and running).

Microsoft is investing $500 million in data center projects in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, about 70 miles from Mount Pleasant.  The state didn't give them the land or build them roads. Cook County isn't building them water or sewer infrastructure. Nobody promised any tax credits.
Illinois isn't a battleground state.

I'll put this to you simply.
Between what Foxconn has done and Microsoft is promising, these projects are expected to create less than 3,200 jobs.
Wisconsin taxpayers have spent $1 billion so far to land those projects.
That's $312,500 per job.
And you guys think that's a great deal for the state? Oof.

Of course, its usually the people who think like that who cry loudest about a young worker getting $10,000 in student debt forgiven or a few more weeks of unemployment benefits.

[Plaque Lives Matter!]

what?  so you could just run it into the ground?

Dunno, I wouldn’t know. I pulled myself by my bootstraps

[GB Warrior]

The dome at Foxconn has seen less activity than a married man

[MU82]

82

Do you know the driving factor on the revenue growth? Was it due to 10% more visitors or higher prices? I am seriously asking because it is hard not to have higher revenues is prices are up 10% or more.

This is not a gotcha question, too lazy to look and thought you would know.

The most recent data I could find quickly - and I'm not about to spend significant time on it to find more - shows this annual attendance at Disneyland and Disney World through 2022:

https://queue-times.com/en-US/parks/16/attendances

https://queue-times.com/en-US/parks/6/attendances

In each case, attendance rose steadily for years, obviously fell off a cliff in 2020 due to Covid, began climbing again in 2021, and by 2022 was back to a couple/few million of where it had been pre-Covid. I don't have 2023 or so-far-2024 figures, but asked a question about park attendance during the earnings call, CEO Bob Iger said:

"In terms of attendance, look, what we're basically communicating is relative to the post-COVID highs, things are tending to normalize. The Parks business did 10% growth in the quarter. And obviously, that's an extremely high revenue number. That said, we still see in -- the bookings that we look ahead towards indicate healthy growth in the business. So, we still certainly feel-good about the opportunities for continued strong growth."

It's safe to say is that tens of millions of people pay big money to those two American parks every year and to and sail on Disney cruises, and significantly more than that do the same around the world.

Iger wishes the rest of Disney's business was on as sound footing as the Experiences segment is.

[Uncle Rico]

Microsoft is investing $500 million in data center projects in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, about 70 miles from Mount Pleasant.  The state didn't give them the land or build them roads. Cook County isn't building them water or sewer infrastructure. Nobody promised any tax credits.
Illinois isn't a battleground state.

I'll put this to you simply.
Between what Foxconn has done and Microsoft is promising, these projects are expected to create less than 3,200 jobs.
Wisconsin taxpayers have spent $1 billion so far to land those projects.
That's $312,500 per job.
And you guys think that's a great deal for the state? Oof.

Of course, its usually the people who think like that who cry loudest about a young worker getting $10,000 in student debt forgiven or a few more weeks of unemployment benefits.

Like most things, Herm doesn’t have a clue about which he speaks

[lawdog77]

Microsoft is investing $500 million in data center projects in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, about 70 miles from Mount Pleasant.  The state didn't give them the land or build them roads. Cook County isn't building them water or sewer infrastructure. Nobody promised any tax credits.
Illinois isn't a battleground state.

I'll put this to you simply.
Between what Foxconn has done and Microsoft is promising, these projects are expected to create less than 3,200 jobs.
Wisconsin taxpayers have spent $1 billion so far to land those projects.
That's $312,500 per job.
And you guys think that's a great deal for the state? Oof.

Of course, its usually the people who think like that who cry loudest about a young worker getting $10,000 in student debt forgiven or a few more weeks of unemployment benefits.

It's called making lemonade out of lemons. It's not just the 3200 jobs, though Pakuni.
 - Microsoft's initial pledge was to add $1 billion in taxable property value in just the first, two-building phase of construction. It's now $3.3 billion but that still only represents a portion of what Microsoft is likely to build in the future.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

It's called making lemonade out of lemons. It's not just the 3200 jobs, though Pakuni.
 - Microsoft's initial pledge was to add $1 billion in taxable property value in just the first, two-building phase of construction. It's now $3.3 billion but that still only represents a portion of what Microsoft is likely to build in the future.

Right. But it doesn’t make the initial Foxconn nonsense worth it.

[Uncle Rico]

Right. But it doesn’t make the initial Foxconn nonsense worth it.

Foxconn was a boondoggle and financial disaster.  A complete and utter failure.  Spinning it any other way is wrong.

Ron Walker and Orange Turd didn’t spend billions to build a business park.  They spent it in a foolhardy attempt to bring in a company with a history of stiffing communities and partners.  Alarm signs were sounding the day it was announced.

Not a single person in favor of this deal and the billions it cost sold it as a commercial development property for future investors because no one is spending that kind of capital hoping to one day attract Microsoft.

A simple history search of the history of this boondoggle illuminates this, but yes, fake news blah blah blah.

As I said earlier, if this was vindication for the rotten deal, there’d be crowing from the people that got swindled.  There isn’t because they got saved by political opponents.

[Goose]

In reading this thread I am surprised on the backlash for Herman. I have never met Herman, but his business insight has been outstanding over the years. He has provided big picture insight based off of his remarkable career and I have found it to be the best on scoop. In addition, his dedication to MU is obvious and I am thankful that he takes time to post on scoop. I am sure he has far bigger things in his business life to do over posting on scoop.

#thanksherman

[jesmu84]

In reading this thread I am surprised on the backlash for Herman. I have never met Herman, but his business insight has been outstanding over the years. He has provided big picture insight based off of his remarkable career and I have found it to be the best on scoop. In addition, his dedication to MU is obvious and I am thankful that he takes time to post on scoop. I am sure he has far bigger things in his business life to do over posting on scoop.

#thanksherman

You're talking about the same poster who states he gets young women intentionally drunk so that he can have unprotected sex with them?

[Goose]

I believe Herman is the gold standard for business and economic insight on scoop. In addition, I wish MU had a lot more supporters of the program like Herm. He brings insight that I do not believe any of us can truly relate to because of his real-life experiences. I throw out opinions, like 82 noted, but Herman throws down facts!!!

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

In reading this thread I am surprised on the backlash for Herman. I have never met Herman, but his business insight has been outstanding over the years. He has provided big picture insight based off of his remarkable career and I have found it to be the best on scoop. In addition, his dedication to MU is obvious and I am thankful that he takes time to post on scoop. I am sure he has far bigger things in his business life to do over posting on scoop.

#thanksherman

Pretty sure Herman is nothing but a troll. But I’m sure he’s glad that you’re his friend.

[Goose]

Fluff

I have never met or spoken with Herman. I would not say he is friend of mine, just someone that I respect his body of work and dedication to Marquette. To be honest, I do not think Herman thinks of me as a friend and may think I am a troll.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Could be. He might actually be all he represents himself to be. But this is the guy who takes time out of his day to post Sam Hauser’s daily stats and link to a few newspaper articles without offering any sort of insight, so I doubt it.

But he is clearly wrong in this case.

[Uncle Rico]

You're talking about the same poster who states he gets young women intentionally drunk so that he can have unprotected sex with them?

Yeah, he’s a dirtbag, liar and continuously wrong about everything but sure, he has tremendous insight

[Goose]

Rico

Have you read his biz posts over the years that details his career? I would not diminish his words based off his Hauser updates. Guys like Fluff do that, smart guys listen to smarter people.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Rico

Have you read his biz posts over the years that details his career? I would not diminish his words based off his Hauser updates. Guys like Fluff do that, smart guys listen to smarter people.

No his activity here makes me believe his entire persona is fiction.

[Goose]

Fluff,

Who knows, maybe he is a big swinging dick and does not want us to know his true identity?

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Fluff,

Who knows, maybe he is a big swinging dick and does not want us to know his true identity?

At least you are impressed with him. And in the end, that’s what counts.

[Goose]

It is hard not to be impressed with Herman. Try and take the bias away and read his posts on his career and business in general.

[Hards Alumni]

In reading this thread I am surprised on the backlash for Herman. I have never met Herman, but his business insight has been outstanding over the years. He has provided big picture insight based off of his remarkable career and I have found it to be the best on scoop. In addition, his dedication to MU is obvious and I am thankful that he takes time to post on scoop. I am sure he has far bigger things in his business life to do over posting on scoop.

#thanksherman

I think you need to reread his posts homie, he is routinely very wrong.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

It is hard not to be impressed with Herman. Try and take the bias away and read his posts on his career and business in general.

“This guy may have made up everything, but man is he impressive!”

[Goose]

Fluff

How do you know he made everything up? Examples?

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Fluff

How do you know he made everything up? Examples?

I never said I “knew” he made up everything. But he is either a completely fake troll or he is who he is and is just wrong a lot.

But glad you are impressed with him either way.

[Goose]

Fluff

He is in good company. I am impressed by you. You are person that is an expert on all topics on scoop, not afraid to comment on anyone's point of view, obviously dedicated based off your number of posts and literally do not care what anyone thinks of you. To be honest, that is impressive.