Mercedes-Benz could announce HQ relo to Atlanta on Tuesday; focus on Central Perimeter (Sandy Springs: house, unemployment)

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Why are people discussing airlines on a MB thread?

Corporate relocations really let us discuss almost anything about the city to be honest... for better or worse. But that is a good question.

The airport is actually a big deal, including this situation. Some corporations need more transportation access to others and it has to do with how their business functions and where consumers are. We tend to attract companies that need quick immediate access to offices/retail outlets throughout the Eastern part of the country. We tend to attract more franchisers and retailers than average. Dallas and Chicago do too for almost the same reasons.

The second point of discussion is Mercedes Benz is a German company based in Stuttgart. Companies frequently locate near large international air hubs to have more price competition and better flight time options to their home base, since there is a fair amount of executive air travel between the parent company and the regional headquarters.

Atlanta, thanks to Delta, just happens to be one of the few American cities with a direct flight to Stuttgart and a fairly nice, competitive array of options to other European hubs.

This is how we get sidetracked into discussing Charlotte as a hub and a relocation competitor. How will American use Charlotte in the future? Will they ever be able to provide the same type of access for a company like MB need?

[Wolfpacker]

Originally Posted by cwkimbro

Corporate relocations really let us discuss almost anything about the city to be honest... for better or worse. But that is a good question.

The airport is actually a big deal, including this situation. Some corporations need more transportation access to others and it has to do with how their business functions and where consumers are. We tend to attract companies that need quick immediate access to offices/retail outlets throughout the Eastern part of the country. We tend to attract more franchisers and retailers than average. Dallas and Chicago do too for almost the same reasons.

The second point of discussion is Mercedes Benz is a German company based in Stuttgart. Companies frequently locate near large international air hubs to have more price competition and better flight time options to their home base, since there is a fair amount of executive air travel between the parent company and the regional headquarters.

Atlanta, thanks to Delta, just happens to be one of the few American cities with a direct flight to Stuttgart and a fairly nice, competitive array of options to other European hubs.

This is how we get sidetracked into discussing Charlotte as a hub and a relocation competitor. How will American use Charlotte in the future? Will they ever be able to provide the same type of access for a company like MB need?

Yep. I don't think people realize how important the airport and the services it provides are.

Delta's Atlanta flight, outside of a flight to Abu Dhabi, is the only non-stop route outside of Europe to and from Stuggart.

[toll_booth]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Why are people discussing airlines on a MB thread?

When is the last time we have ever stayed on-topic for more than a few posts? Atlantagreg has probably just given up on us by now...

[J2rescue]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Why are people discussing airlines on a MB thread?

Because way back in the beginning of the thread someone mentioned the possibility of Mercedes choosing to relocate somewhere in NC (Charlotte or Raleigh), which led to the statement of the airport being an edge for Atlanta. From there, we got theories on the impact of the American/US Air merger and there you have it.

[Tyler_Jolie-Pitt]

Originally Posted by J2rescue

Because way back in the beginning of the thread someone mentioned the possibility of Mercedes choosing to relocate somewhere in NC (Charlotte or Raleigh), which led to the statement of the airport being an edge for Atlanta. From there, we got theories on the impact of the American/US Air merger and there you have it.

There are very few cities in the entire world that can compete with Atlanta's airport. Of course it gives it an edge when luring international businesses. I just don't understand why everything has to turn into bashing NC and its cities...

[Wolfpacker]

Originally Posted by Tyler_Jolie-Pitt

There are very few cities in the entire world that can compete with Atlanta's airport. Of course it gives it an edge when luring international businesses. I just don't understand why everything has to turn into bashing NC and its cities...

I didn't see the posts here as "bashing," but discussing the realities of the situation.

[JMatl]

Originally Posted by Wolfpacker

I didn't see the posts here as "bashing," but discussing the realities of the situation.

Yeah, same here. I'm in the industry, and was just relaying what I've heard and witnessed.

I'm in the camp that likes NC.

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by Tyler_Jolie-Pitt

There are very few cities in the entire world that can compete with Atlanta's airport. Of course it gives it an edge when luring international businesses. I just don't understand why everything has to turn into bashing NC and its cities...

I'm sorry if that is the way it comes across. I actually like Charlotte. To me they are very similar, just smaller. I kind of see them like our kid-brother in the region. They are growing, similar, and capable of so much.

In this thread, however, they were one of the few listed direct competitors for that particular corporate relocation. In fact, we are often direct competitors for relocations for companies wanting to head south. This means, from their own success, they will come up a bit.

In this case we had to bring up what sets us out from Charlotte for a company like Mercedes Benz, but I'm also concerned about the long-term effects of the US Air-AA merger on Charlotte.

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by cwkimbro

I'm sorry if that is the way it comes across. I actually like Charlotte. To me they are very similar, just smaller. I kind of see them like our kid-brother in the region. They are growing, similar, and capable of so much.

In this thread, however, they were one of the few listed direct competitors for that particular corporate relocation. In fact, we are often direct competitors for relocations for companies wanting to head south. This means, from their own success, they will come up a bit.

In this case we had to bring up what sets us out from Charlotte for a company like Mercedes Benz, but I'm also concerned about the long-term effects of the US Air-AA merger on Charlotte.

Bringing up Charlotte and its airport was a pretty relevant point in this discussion, and it's something to think about should BMW begin looking southward also.

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

Bringing up Charlotte and its airport was a pretty relevant point in this discussion, and it's something to think about should BMW begin looking southward also.

I'm curious about that!

On one hand We could be ideal for BMW, so that MB, Porsche, and BMW could help build up the critical mass of a specialized employee pool that wouldn't be found if they were located in separate places.

On the other hand Porsche and MB are both headquartered in Stuttgart. This will help keep that Delta link to Stuttgart active and is a great asset to those companies.

BMW is headquartered in Munich. There are more places a company can locate and attract direct flights to Munich.