A proposed $2.4 electric vehicle battery plant near Big Rapids has been beset over by lawsuit and questions about its ties to Communist China. It’s the second big-ticket project to die in the past few months.
Business Watch
Covering the intersection of business and policy, and informing Michigan employers and workers on the long road back from coronavirus. Our Michigan Economic Dashboard shows key metrics that show how the state is performing.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Poll: Tariffs, grocery costs have Michigan residents sweating economy
Economic worries are often split along partisan lines, as is support for President Trump’s tariffs, according to a survey from the Detroit Regional Chamber.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Amid Trump tariffs, a ‘burst of optimism’ for one Michigan manufacturer
Business is booming for a steel wire manufacturer in southern Michigan, whose owner credits President Donald Trump’s tariffs. “The math has just totally changed.”
Posted inBusiness Watch
Michigan megasite plan sparks $40M school uproar after Sandisk exit
Swartz Creek Schools may sell Moorish Elementary for a huge site near Bishop Airport that’s being assembled with state tax dollars, even after the collapse of a semiconductor deal. The proposal has led to months of acrimony in Genesee County.
Posted inBusiness Watch
$13B Stellantis expansion plan includes new jobs for Michigan
Stellantis plans to invest $13 billion over four years to expand manufacturing in the US. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer expects 900 jobs for Michigan as a result.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Spooky season starts early for Michigan’s Halloween diehards. It’s not cheap
Americans are expected to spend a record $13.1 billion on Halloween this year, making it the nation’s second-largest commercial holiday, behind Christmas.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Michigan legislators kill Gretchen Whitmer’s $2B cash-for-jobs program
After years of underwhelming returns, the Strategic Operating and Attraction Reserve is no more. The program was designed to lure mega companies but so far has created far fewer jobs than promised.
Posted inBusiness Watch, Michigan Government
Whitmer biz incentives may face chopping block as part of Michigan budget deal
Michigan funding for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s signature business incentive program would be eliminated and redirect to roads under a new plan from legislators attempting to avoid a state government shutdown.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Cash-for-jobs deals targeted in Michigan. What to know about agency funding them
Michigan’s corporate incentives are a sticking point in deadlocked budget negotiations. A little-known agency oversees them, the Michigan Economic Development Corp.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Ford to demolish iconic ‘Glass House’ HQ, move to a new campus 3 miles away
Ford is relocating its world headquarters from the ‘Glass House,’ which opened in 1956, to a newly constructed building 3 miles away. In 2024, rival automaker GM announced plans to move its headquarters.