El Encanto gets $45M in financing, plans to open next year
By Marlize van Romburgh / Friday, November 25th, 2011 / Real Estate, Top Stories, Tourism / Comments Off on El Encanto gets $45M in financing, plans to open next year
The international hotel firm behind El Encanto Hotel in Santa Barbara has received $45 million in construction financing for the project and plans to open the luxury hilltop villas by late 2012. When all is said and done, Orient-Express Hotels will have spent more than $90 million to buy and renovate a project it’s not Read More →
State fund files RICO claim against Select Staffing
By Stephen Nellis / Friday, November 18th, 2011 / Top Stories / 3 Comments
[EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was updated and corrected at 1:45 p.m. on Nov. 21. Scroll to the bottom for the correction.] The State Compensation Insurance Fund and the region’s biggest private company are taking off the gloves in a fight over a $50 million fraud judgment. At issue is whether an $80 million dividend paid Read More →
Former tri-county business leaders pass away
By Stephen Nellis / Friday, November 18th, 2011 / Top Stories / Comments Off on Former tri-county business leaders pass away
The Tri-Counties lost two formerly prominent CEOs in November. A. A. “Bud” Milligan, the longtime leader of the Bank of A. Levy, the largest community bank in Ventura County until it was sold to First Interstate Bank in 1994, died on Nov. 3 in Santa Barbara. He was 94. Chris Edgecomb, co-founder and CEO of Read More →
Schools expand master’s programs
By Dana Olsen / Friday, November 18th, 2011 / Top Stories / Comments Off on Schools expand master’s programs
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Talk toughens in Melchiori, subcontractor dispute
By Stephen Nellis / Friday, November 11th, 2011 / Real Estate, Top Stories / 3 Comments
Melchiori Construction Co., the Santa Barbara-based general contractor known for taking on high-profile projects, faces more than 20 non-payment claims from subcontractors and suppliers on a $6.5 million construction project at UC Santa Barbara. The payment disputes mark the third Melchiori public project in which subcontractors alleged they were not paid. Thirty-eight claims were made on Read More →
Port Hueneme trade zone opens up
By Stephen Nellis / Friday, November 11th, 2011 / Top Stories, Tri-County Economy / 2 Comments
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Wine, tech key to Central Coast outlooks
By Marlize van Romburgh / Wednesday, November 9th, 2011 / Top Stories, Tri-County Economy / Comments Off on Wine, tech key to Central Coast outlooks
The Central Coast’s economic future is tied to its ability to capitalize on its burgeoning wine and agriculture, smart manufacturing, high technology and tourism industries. That was the view from two separate economic events in San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria on Nov. 8. In San Luis Obispo, forecasters from Beacon Economics weighed the growth Read More →