The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 49

3 wwwtennesseanoom THE TENNESSEAN Thursday, May 11, 2000 3E BUSINESS State places company under supervision I JwM 1 "The unknown always gives people pause." John Ferguson, Tennessee finance and administration commissioner 99 49 With activation (1249.99 without) THIS MOTHER'S DAY Motorola M-3090 Dual-mode digital-cellular phone with headset capability. Memory with 99 phone booic locations. 17-1364 sons for guaranteeing payment and placing the company under supervision is fear that the company's provider networks would erode, Ferguson said. 'We felt it was important if we took action that networks would continue to be providers for Access," Ferguson said. "We felt the surest way to assure that is to guarantee you will provide a safety net for provider claims while Access is trying to fix their problem.

"I only have authority (to guarantee payment) and if the General Assembly decides we are not going to fund it, we would have a problem," Ferguson said. Asked if he thought the action would affect the legislature's decision to actuarially fund TennCare at an additional cost of $132 million, Ferguson said, "The unknown always gives people pause." Black organizations have claimed in the past the state is picking on Access MedPlus because it is minority owned. Ferguson hoped yesterday's action does not revive that argument "I would hope people would realize that is not the case," he said. Duren Cheek covers state government tor The Tennessean. He can be reached at 726-4889 Of Durencheekaol.com.

Bill Snyder covers health care for The Tennessean. He can be reached at 259-8226 or at bsnydertennessean.com. WITH HANDS-FREE SAFETY Get it with free activation. Safer driving. Now that's a Mother's Day gift that really shows you care.

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lowing them to bring in new tenants and change rapidly to meet the desires of the market, Siegel said. So don't expect Opry Mills to stagnate, Siegel said. Older Mills projects continue to produce record sales. "This is going to be ever evolving," he said. Stacey Hartmann covers retail and restaurant business news for The Tennessean.

She can be reached at 259-8084 or staceyreporters.net. Cider Mill General Store. "While you may not be 200 feet in the air on a roller coaster, it doesn't cost you to get in," Siegel said. "It's free. Everybody can come.

Everybody can enjoy it. And I think that's a good thing." Mills malls almost a dozen are scattered across the country are more flexible in their design than traditional regional malls, al 1 ONE WAY Worfc Opry Mills jobs drain local labor pool Opry PA jobs Approximate number of workers at several of Opry Mills' biggest employers. Store Employees Jillian's 300 Bass Pro Shops 300 Outdoor World FbodBrand 300 (mall food court) Alabama Grill 1B5 Service Management 100 Systems (mall housekeeping) The Gibson 85 Bluegrass Showcase The Apple Bam 80 Cider Bar General Store Source: Opry Mills i id 1 i I DREW WHITE STAFF Could your money be doing more for you? 3,600 employees to nearby Opry Mills. "Especially in the service industry, competition is keen" From an employment standpoint, Opry Mills could hardly have picked a tougher time to debut The region is in its eighth year of jobless rates below 5, the level considered full employment by economists. In just the past year, the Mid-state has lured Opry Mills; Dell Computer which has hired about 1,900 workers; and wireless company Sprint PCS, which has nearly 1,000 new employees.

The gains more than offset major downsizings by local employers like Service Merchandise Inc. and First American Corp. Low unemployment means ample job opportunities as well as better pay, advancement and other perks for most residents who want to work. Since moving to Nashville from Detroit five years ago, Savage said: "I haven't had any problem getting a job at alL I've always been employed." But the resulting labor shortage means higher recruitment and retention expense, wage costs, employee turnover and other difficulties for companies. "It's kind of a double-edged sword," said Dan Thompson, executive director of the Tennessee Business Roundtable, a pro-business advocacy group.

"Obviously, it's a good thing that the economy is doing so welL But businesses recognize that finding qualified workers is probably the biggest challenge that they face." Opry Mills tenants admit that the high-profile, 1.2 million-square-foot development made it easier to find workers, who will mostly fill service jobs. Managers at the sprawling Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World home to a shooting arcade, archery range, aquarium and other attractions said employment advertisements and other efforts lured applicants in the door. Once there, officials said, the 300-plus jobs sold themselves. They come in and see the store. That's a lot of it," said human resources manager Brenda O'Briea "We're very unique.

It's a lot of fun." But tenants say they also have used aggressive recruiting and other strategies to pry workers out of the local labor market Jillian's found more than one-fourth of its employees at the job fair and marketed its positions on radio stations that appeal to its target 24- to 35-year-old worker. Managers say staffer referrals are also a rich resource. "Onx we get them in and show High-Interest Checking No-fee Online Bill Pay Unlimited access to 3,500 First Union ATMs Two free non-First Union ATM withdrawals per montht Introducing Custom Banking. Now there's a new account that offers more of what you want, for less than you'd expect. It's called Custom Banking.

And among other things, it offers tiered them the building, it's friends of friends," said Jillian's manager Robin Grenko. Pay costs in Nashville are higher than in some places, Grenko said, but the labor is worth the price. "We're getting some good experience," he said. "I'd put the staff up against anybody." The MillsWORKS program a cooperative effort of mall developer Mills Corp. and public and private entities, designed to connect jobs and job seekers has also referred employees.

While officials could not estimate how many workers the program has placed, "it's been overwhelmingly busy," said MillsWORKS chief Margaret Menger. And MillsWORKS is gearing up to further assist prospective workers with career counseling, transportation and child-care concerns. The mall's learning and development center will try to cultivate labor from at-risk youth, low-income adults, immigrants and people with disabilities. Metro is also trying to help with Opry Mills' employee demands. Last weekend, the Metropolitan Transit Authority introduced bus schedules to improve access to the Opry Mills area offBriley Parkway.

Officials said the revisions link the project to some of MTA's busiest routes and will help employees get to and from work. Despite the accommodations, business owners say they are struggling in the overheated labor market "We're definitely having trouble hiring," said Bob Werle of Grand Old Golf on Music Valley Drive near Opry Mills, who needs to find a maintenance worker and other help as the busy summer season begins. "They don't stick Michael Davis covers manufacturing, organized labor and transportation for The Tennessean. He can be reached at 259-8092 or mrjavMMemessean.com. interest checking, which means your interest rate gets higher as your account balance goes up.

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