*ntel: Making Downtown Austin Ugly

[Rectalfier]

Saw This on AMDZONE

"*ntel, a company that has lied about earnings prospects for over a year, has decided to end construction of their new downtown design center (read: headhunting headquarters). This means they will leave the building in its current skeletal form seriously making downtown Austin look horrible. Good job *ntel! Here's a clip of the Statesman article on the subject.
Sutton Co. President Mac Pike, whose high-end residential loft project is due to open later this year across the street from the Intel site, said Intel is reneging on its commitment to the city.

"The city relied on Intel's word. Intel did not keep their word. I put no credence in their word that they're going to move forward," Pike said, adding that he believes the decision will taint Intel's reputation, locally and nationally. "



"They're treating the community about as poorly as you can treat a community. To leave an eyesore in the middle of a bustling downtown is a travesty and is very much an embarrassment for the company," Pike said.



Link

 

[Finality]

Yay that means fewer Texans

 

[NOX]

Didn't you know? All the money is going towards the P4 marketing campaign.

On a more serous note. You should never start a project and back out unless the bottom line is money, though I?m sure that?s not the case for Intel.

 

[ElFenix]

fewer texans? what?

i think i'll go piss on it tonight. its ugly. waaay ugly.

 

[Wingznut]

Wow. That's not a biased description is it?

For another perspective, from Charlie Betts, executive director of the Downtown Austin Alliance:



<< When the deal was struck to build downtown, neither Intel nor the city foresaw the downturn, Betts said. &quot;All the people raising Cain about it darn sure didn't foresee it either. Just chill out. At some point in time, probably more sooner rather than later, they'll decide it's in their best interest to finish the building and they'll go into operations and we'll all be pleased as punch they're there.&quot; >>

 

[NOX]

<< When the deal was struck to build downtown, neither Intel nor the city foresaw the downturn >>

Which is?

 

[Midnight Rambler]

<< &quot;*ntel, a company that has lied about earnings prospects for over a year >>

Now THAT is a blatant lie. The FACTS are that Intel has reported with due diligence, and issued any relevant warnings well ahead of the period reporting dates. Whereas AMD has been in denial the last 4-6 months, and in FACT missed their most recent earnings projection while previously defending it would make the projected numbers. I'm sorry, but that's just total BS from an obviously biased and uninformed web site which has no business reporting on any company's financials in the first place. More good reason behind the current SEC investigations in to this kind of stuff. The worst part is, it only takes a bit of reseach reading to get the facts straight. But then, AMDZONE is obviously not interested in presenting the facts; rather, hype ...

 

[NOX]

<< obviously biased and uninformed web site >>

What do you expect from AMD Zone? Hahaha?

 

[Rectalfier]

Hey that's why it's AMDzone! I don't think Intel webites have anything good to say about AMD.

 

[Vrangel]

Midnight Rambler

I have to correct you. AMD indeed missed latest quarter by 2c,
however projections for full year remain unchanged.

On the other hand Intel guided estimates for 2001 lower
and currently they are expected to make the same amount
they did in 1996.

Earlier I said INTC is going to reach $10 share price.
Recently I became less bearish since Intel is doing
the right thing and cutting costs. New target is $15.

 

[mpancha]

hmm, the only real fact of the matter is.... downtown Austin never was that pretty. In the last five years I've lived her, the words downtown and pretty/clean/beautiful were never used together.

 

[ElFenix]

the picture from across town lake near zilker park, looking at downtown, is quite nice with the water and all. now we'll have an unfinished eyesore to look at for the next 8 months. along with the CSC construction on 2nd and whatever is on guadalupe and 7th.

 

[PCResources]

<< You should never start a project and back out unless the bottom line is money, though I?m sure that?s not the case for Intel. >>



For Intel, it's always about money...




<< But then, AMDZONE is obviously not interested in presenting the facts; rather, hype ... >>



Did amdzone state any of these things? NO, it was a quote... so maybe the Sutton Co. President is anti Intel, but does that mean bad repotings on amdzone's behalf...



<< Wow. That's not a biased description is it? >>



And your &quot;very unbiased&quot; description means more?



<< Recently I became less bearish since Intel is doing the right thing and cutting costs. New target is $15. >>



Well, this doesn't sound right to me.. When a company (that is always increasing) is cutting profitable costs, then they are on their way down...

Patrick Palm

PC Resources

 

[Wingznut]

<< For Intel, it's always about money... >>



Yeah, it's different with other corporations. (That was sarcasm.)




<< Did amdzone state any of these things? >>



Rectalfier's entire first paragraph was written by Chris Tom, who works for AMDzone.





<< And your &quot;very unbiased&quot; description means more? >>



Take note of the winky-face. And you probably ought to try lightening up.
The only reason I posted on this thread, is because Rectalfier (and AMDzone) only posted one side of the issue. And there are people in Austin who still want Intel in town, even if it's delayed.

 

[Snooper]

Vrangel,

More bull sh*t. In Q1, 2001, Intel will make all most as much money as they made in ALL of 1996!!! Maybe you should go look at the numbers instead of spewing that kind of bull sh*t around.

 

[Syborg1211]

Oh dear, another Intel fan vs AMD pusher argument. These are getting tiresome and everytime some company does something that can be remotely called bad someone posts it saying that company sucks. I really dont see an unfinished building as an &quot;eyesore.&quot; Seriously, are you going to look at it, and act as if it is the most ugly thing in the world? Probably not, you will look at it as any other construction work that is taking an extremely long time to build. We need to be more open minded and realize that neither of these companies will be gone for a long time. AMD does have a higher chance of falling since all they make is cpus while Intel is a more diverse company with multiple products. Intel is not going to lose the cpu fight very easily as their P4 is a promising cpu, but if they do lose they will probably remain pretty big and focus more on other industries.

 

[PCResources]

Wingznut, as i stated in my reply to your PM, i was in a bad mood... Sorry, won't call you biased again...

Patrick Palm

PC Resources

 

[MadRat]

If they couldn't build it in the timeframe planned then they probably didn't secure the capitol ahead of time. Its a pretty bad display of ethics to indefinitely delay the building solely based on &quot;an unforseen downturn&quot;. Pretty weak excuse if you ask me. Intel's leadership needs to retool itself with a &quot;we will do it on time and the way it ought to be, the first time&quot; attitude instead of this lousy &quot;it'll get done right, eventually&quot; attitude of the past three years.

 

[Wingznut]

&quot;If they couldn't build it in the timeframe planned then they probably didn't secure the capitol ahead of time. &quot;

Man, you are clueless. Intel has billions and billions of dollars in the bank. Lack of capitol is not what made the decision to delay the building.



&quot;Its a pretty bad display of ethics to indefinitely delay the building solely based on &quot;an unforseen downturn&quot;. Pretty weak excuse if you ask me.&quot;

So, you'd prefer that they finish the building and then be forced to layoff workers? If I'm not mistaken, Motorola has a new building in Texas. I'm sure all the Texans appreciate how pretty the building is... Even if they were part of the massive layoff.

Look, us Intel employees have felt the budget cuts. These include benefit deferrals, pay raise deferrals, inevitably smaller bonuses, etc... But you know what? As long as people get to keep their jobs, it's not so bad. I can put off getting my free computer for a while, if it means no layoffs. And I'm sure the fine people of Austin can look at a building under construction for a while, knowing that people can keep their jobs.

MadRat... so you think it would be more &quot;ethical&quot; for Intel to spend the money to finish the building, and have to make cuts elsewhere, such as layoffs?

You ought to think things out a little bit, before you post garbage like that.

 

[Tripleshot]

Micron did the same thing here in Utah(south of provo,I believe).

When these fat cats go and solicit locations for buildings and manufacturing based on low labor rates and a quality labor pool,along with the tax incentives(IE: NO TAX) and then they break ground,tie up the property,and leave a shell in the middle of a downtown area or a field,no matter, the city officials should remove all incentives for non completion and exercise right of eminate domain and take over the project.

That would stop this crap in a hurry. They would finish what they start,or loose everything. Build it on schedule or loose all the benifits afforded in the original deal.

California built freeways and bridges ahead of schedule because they where motivated. Same should occur for these businesses who do not finish what they start,and place a blight on the surrounding area.

Just my humble opinion.

 

[Wingznut]

... even if it is in lieu of people losing their jobs, tripleshot?

 

[Tripleshot]

Wingznut PEZ

The only people who got jobs on these projects where construction workers. They are used to moving from one locale to another. An incomplete building does not afford anyone with employment,unless the offending company hires a night watchman for the site.

So what employment are you refering to?

It's all vapor,and hefty tax right offs for the damn companies that don't finish what they start.

Who pays? You and me,the tax payers of America.

 

[Wingznut]

I'm saying that Intel has cut expenses in many, many areas to avoid layoffs of Intel employees. Many other hi-tech companies (Motorola, Cisco, Novell, C&amp;W, Compaq, Tiny, etc...) have been laying off workers by the thousands. Intel has (so far) avoided this by making cuts in other areas, such as the Austin building. Would it make you feel better to see that pretty building finished, even though it meant that thousands of people lost their jobs?

 

[MadRat]

So Wingnut, screw the construction workers to save your ass, right?

 

[Tripleshot]

Wingznut PEZ

I know you work for Intel and I applaud your sincere defense of thier policy to &quot; abstain from lay offs&quot;. That said, a company that forcasts needs to meet production goals and negotiates sweetheart deals with city managers to obtain prime real estate with grandeous promises of &quot;high paying tech jobs&quot; and other niceities,should be smart enough and have the money in the bank to complete the project before it starts.

If you went to your local planning comission and aplied for a building permit to build a home in a neighborhood,you would be given that permit and told it must be finished in 6 months. Why should Intel or Micron or AMD or any other business be given any less stringent edict to complete what they start?

They shouldn't.