Baton Rouge Business & Commercial Law Blog

For those considering acquiring a new business or becoming business partners with another business, the potential for growth is likely one of the many benefits of the merger. Yet there are many important questions that need to be asked to ensure that the merger is a success in both the short and long term, including the potential for business litigation. Ensuring that both companies can complement or work with each other in a stable relationship is critical to ensuring the financial success of the venture. This is hopefully the case for the Louisiana Cookin' magazine and Hoffman Media.

Hoffman Media, a company already familiar with cooking-related magazines such as Cooking with Paula Deen, has acquired Louisiana Cookin' magazine. The exact terms of the deal are currently unknown, but some of the company's future plans for the magazine have been released. Among the details, Hoffman Media says it intends to try and make the magazine a national seller.

Those in Louisiana that are worried about long-term economic hardship as a result of the BP oil spill may be able to breathe a little easier, according to recent statements by business economists. 24 months after the incident, residents who depend on offshore industry are not as financially unstable as previously predicted. This may be a result of effective business operations and the subsequent approximately $20 billion spent by BP for oil spill damages. Nearly $2 billion dollars was paid directly to citizens and business owners in the region.

The business economists point to several telling factors that indicate a healthy economy. Unemployment is not significantly different from the years before the spill occurred, and incomes actually have slightly increased. This is in part due to an increase in the petroleum industry last year.

When a business decides to incorporate or expand, one of the considerations that must be taken into account -- particularly for retail -- is location. And it's one thing to simply find a location but another thing entirely to complete a commercial real estate transaction in order to acquire land and/or buildings that will be needed.

Along those lines, a popular restaurant change is about to make its presence more deeply felt in Louisiana in general and Baton Rouge in particular. A group that has a development agreement with Dairy Queen plans to open several outlets in near future. Their first new store is expected to open by the end of the year.

Gov. Bobby Jindal has proposed selling some publicly owned property in an effort to generate $35 million for the state operating budget and $40 million that would be saved for uses determined at a later date. The additional $40 million would be deposited into the Budget Stabilization Fund, known as the state rainy day fund, which is currently underfunded. With the proposal submitted, it is now up to state lawmakers to consider the pros and cons of the idea.

While the land may be opened up for sale as commercial real estate, there may be limitations to who can purchase the land or what construction can occur. Potential restrictions may be put in place to ensure that the areas are used appropriately and in accordance with all zoning laws by their future owners. As of yet, no final agreements have been made regarding their sale and no buyers have been identified.