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Date
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November 9,
2009
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Agenda
Item No. 33 Roll
Call No. 09-
Communication No.
09-797 Submitted by: Matthew A. Anderson, Economic
Development Administrator |
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AGENDA
HEADING
Recommending
Approval of the Gannett Satellite Information Network (GANSAT), Inc. Application
to the Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) for Enterprise Zone
Benefits Regarding a project in the Gateway Enterprise Zone.
SYNOPSIS:
GANSAT,
Inc., Brian Kirkell, State and Local Tax Manager, 7950
Jones Branch Drive, McLean, VA 22107, is requesting approval of their
application for State of Iowa Enterprise Zone Benefits regarding a $985,000
project to expand their regional toning center (RTC) operations at 715 Locust
Street in the Gateway Enterprise Zone. The company will create 90-110 new jobs
and retain 12 jobs in downtown Des Moines. The project will take place over the
next three years.
FISCAL
IMPACT: NONE
This is
a State of
Amount:
$47,500 Investment Tax Credit and $15,750 Sales Tax Refund
Funding
Sources: State of Iowa Enterprise Zone Program
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION:
GANSAT,
Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Gannett Co, Inc. and is a leading
international news and information company. In the U.S., Gannett and its
subsidiaries publish approximately 85 daily newspapers, including USA Today,
and nearly 850 non-daily publications. Additionally, Gannett operates more than
20 television stations. Along with its hardcopy publishing and broadcasting operations,
Gannett operates websites offering news, information, social networking and
advertising.
As
part of its publishing business operations, Gannett currently operates several
small RTCs. The formation of these RTCs was intended to provide a testing
ground for centralizing the photograph prepress and toning functions currently
performed at the local newspaper level, and to provide Gannett with a vehicle
for offering photograph prepress and toning services to the public. The first
small RTC was formed in 2007 in Des Moines with staff from the Des Moines
Register.
The
proposed project will expand the Des Moines RTC and require some
reconfiguration of the facility at 715 Locust Street. This will greatly expand
the capacity of the RTC currently in place. The first phase of the project will
be the hiring of 18 employees and the transfer of 12 employees, with 80-100
additional employees to be hired by March 2011. The positions will include
graphic and production artists with hourly wages ranging from $12.82 to $28.31
to start, and $14.82 to $30.31 by the end of year three.
PREVIOUS
COUNCIL ACTION (S): NONE
BOARD/COMMISSION
ACTION (S): NONE
ANTICIPATED
ACTIONS AND FUTURE COMMITMENTS:
The Des Moines Enterprise Zone Commission will meet
to review the application on November 10, 2009.
For more information on this and other agenda items,
please call the City Clerk’s Office at 515-283-4209 or visit the Clerk’s Office
on the second floor of City Hall,