Tags - call centers, City of Ketchum, City of Pocatello, City of Sun Valley, City of Twin Falls, Construction, economy, media, Qwest, real estate, telecommunications
The developer of the Chilali Lodge in Ketchum has reined in staff, sold properties and halted projects to slash its debt load by 61 percent. Barclays North is blaming the downturn in economy for its cuts, according to news reports.
The developer has offloaded more than 20 developments, mostly residential, to bring the company in line. The Chilali Lodge, a luxury condo project that was scheduled for completion in 2007, according to the company's Web site, was among the properties being sold.
Qwest will close its call center in Pocatello. Employees were told Wednesday they have two options: accept a severance package or relocate to the newly expanded Idaho Falls center. The cut of more than 150 employees is partly due to the decline in the number of landline telephone customers, company officials said. The Idaho Falls center holds 750 employees, where only 155 fill Pocatello's center.
A group of Idaho Falls investors has bought The Wood River Journal, a weekly newspaper published in Hailey, from Lee Enterprises, owner of the Twin Falls Time-News.
Brad Hurd, publisher of the Twin Falls Times-News and regional manager for Lee, is quoted as saying the company also intends to close the Lincoln County Journal in Shoshone and the Minidoka County News in Rupert due to declines in readership and ad revenue. Terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed. The investor group includes the Post Co. of Idaho Falls, owners of the Post Register and three eastern Idaho weeklies.
8 Comments
I realize that any closures are difficult. I wonder, however, whether the Qwest closure in Pocatello is related to the economic climate. Rather, it seems more likely related to the competition that wireless technology brings to the landline telecommunications market. In other economies, very few users opt for landlines, preferring to use wireless, mobile technologies instead. In developed economies, like that of the United States, technology trends and good old competition and economic common sense are leading consumers to consolidate their telephone services to mobile and more versatile and functional technologies.
Comment By Emile Loza Thursday, April 24, 2008 @ 2:07 PM
Qwest stays in Idaho because they have a dirt cheap workforce they can push around, and a technologically ignorant state legislature they can cower into submission with a few thousand dollars apiece every primary season.
Comment By Tom Thursday, April 24, 2008 @ 3:32 PM
Emile is right on-these are birthing pains. Carburetors, rotary phones, CRT televisions, lead-acid batteries for electronics, hydrogen, freon, VHF antennae, asbestos, lead paint, orange or green kitchen veneers, disco's, record albums and VHS tapes...they all atrophied for the sake improvement.
Comment By Leo A. Geis Thursday, April 24, 2008 @ 5:47 PM
This is a weak and poorly researched article and I'm personally tired of seeing the media of all sorts jumping on the "downturn" bandwagon - The first story about the developer is legit - yes, the real estate market is slowing - understood. But am I the only one that caught the fact that Qwest is moving and EXANDING? they are relocating - not closing the call center! And the third didnt mention anything about a closure! Lousy article. Why is IBR scratching to push negative economic news with instead of working just a bit harder to find the successes that I can tell you ARE happening in our State. A quick example - my tech company has grown and just closing on our best quarter in our 9 year history. Give me a call IBR!
Comment By Dan Friday, April 25, 2008 @ 10:06 AM
THANKS DAN.. I TOO AM TIRED OF ALL THE
NEGATIVE MEDIA ATTENTION TO THE ECONOMY.
I BELIEVE THE MEDIA DOES ALOT OF DAMAGE TO THE ECONOMY, BY PORTRAYING ALL THE WOES.
YES, THINGS ARE TUFF. BUT LET US GET BACK TO WHAT WE ARE GOOD AT. WE ARE RESILIENT, AND COULD DO MORE, IF WE WERERN'T BOMBARDED WITH HOW AWFUL THINGS ARE. LET'S WORK ON IMPROVING THINGS, NOT ON DRAGGING ALL OF US THROUGH THE MUD UNTIL WE ARE SO DEPRESSED THAT WE WANT TO HIDE UNDER A ROCK.
Comment By dave Friday, April 25, 2008 @ 10:59 AM
Being through one of there closures it is simple. The newer larger call centers for Qwest pay way less then the older centers per an arrangement with the union. They are closing the higher paid centers. I think that just leaves Des Moines left of the higher paid employees.
Comment By Tim Friday, April 25, 2008 @ 8:47 PM
Dave and Dan: Shills for Qwest?
Comment By Tom Saturday, April 26, 2008 @ 8:21 AM
IBR and other newspapers: Shills for Obama and/or Clinton?
Comment By erich zimmerman Monday, April 28, 2008 @ 10:49 AM
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