Donohoe leases office space in Bethesda building
The development company Donohoe has leased two floors at 7101 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, which recently underwent a $10 million renovation. The Washington, D.C.-based company is planning on splitting its operations between its D.C. office and the new Bethesda space, according to Jad Donohoe, senior vice president of the company. Maryland Newsletters, a subscription-based local real estate newsletter, reported Monday that Donohoe is planning on starting phase two of its Gallery Bethesda project this year. The second phase would add a similar-sized apartment building next to the Gallery Bethesda building in Woodmont Triangle, which was completed in 2014.
Discovery Communications spends big on European sports
Here in the U.S. we know Discovery Communications as the company behind Shark Week and Deadliest Catch, but in Europe it’s becoming a major player in sports broadcasting, The Wall Street Journal reports. In 2014, the Silver-Spring based company took full control of Eurosport, which owns the broadcast rights to events including Wimbledon and Formula One races. Last year, it paid $1.4 billion for the exclusive European broadcast rights to the Olympic Games starting in 2018 and continuing for eight years. The move is part of the company’s shift into live sports—where advertising dollars remain lucrative despite a trend that is sending television viewers away from cable and to on-demand services such as Netlfix and Hulu, the paper reported.
True Respite Brewing Company launches crowdfunding campaign
The proposed Bethesda brewery that’s searching for investors to make its vision a reality is now turning to crowdfunding. Over the weekend, the founders—Brendan and Bailey O’Leary—launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise $225,000 in start-up capital over the next 60 days. True Respite’s website notes the company is trying to raise between $1.5 million and $2.2. million to build a brewery. Co-founder Brendan O’Leary told Bethesda Beat last week the business is applying for a small business loan. The crowdfunding campaign is being conducted to provide initial funding to help secure the loan, according to the owners. Individuals who donate to the crowdfunding campaign can receive merchandise such as pint glasses, T-shirts and coozies or special offerings such as a brew day with the brewmaster.
Uber to cut prices in January in attempt to increase demand
The on-demand ride service Uber is dropping its prices across the country in an attempt to drive up demand during a typically slow period—the month of January. The company announced Friday it will drop prices in the Washington, D.C., metro area by 10 percent, which it says should also create more earnings for drivers as more customers take advantage of the price cut. This is the third year Uber has cut prices in January, when “we tend to see a post-holiday slowdown that keeps people at home,” according to a company statement.
