News | Hotel Management | Hospitality Management | Restaurant Management | 2009

Franchise Owners Take On Max & Erma's - The Columbus Dispatch

October 31, 2009

By Tracy Turner

A rebellion of sorts is under way among Max & Erma's franchise owners upset with the new owner who, after 16 months at the restaurant chain's helm, has filed to reorganize it in bankruptcy.

Those 11 unhappy franchise owners representing 28 restaurants have banded together to try to get the U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge to appoint a chief reorganization officer to lead the company through Chapter 11.

"We have no confidence in the current management," said Charles Lagarce, president of the Columbus-based chain's franchise-advisory board. "We've just seen a tremendous amount of loss of intellectual value into the company, and we're doing our best to protect our investment.

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Grandview Yard's tenant list to include a Hyatt - The Columbus Dispatch

June 9, 2009

By Marla Matzer Rose

A Hyatt Place hotel, an Urban Active Fitness Center and Jason's Deli are among the first tenants expected to open in the Grandview Yard project, to be built on the site of the former Big Bear supermarket warehouse.

"Location is really key to this project and the interest we're getting in it," said Brian Ellis, president and chief operating officer of Nationwide Realty Investors, which is developing the 80-acre project. "We think the large fitness facility and the hotel will both be great amenities for the first and future phases of the project."

Detailed plans for that first phase, with an estimated price tag of $40 million, were presented to Grandview Heights' planning commission this week. Nationwide expects to invest between $500 million and $600 million in the project over the next five to 10 years.

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