The Early Bird

A groundbreaking event will be held on Wednesday to mark the start of the new Westin Austin at The Domain.

White Lodging Services Inc. of Merrillville, Ind. is developing the 340-room, 10-story hotel as part of Simon Property Group’s (NYSE: SPG) second phase of The Domain in North Austin. The hotel slated to open in summer 2010 will feature an indoor pool, fitness center, restaurant and more than 13,000 square feet of meeting space.

Representatives from the city of Austin, White Lodging and Simon will participate in the event, which starts at 10 a.m.

Employment in the Austin-Round Rock region increased 1.9 percent between October 2007 and October 2008, outpacing many of Austin’s economic development competitors, according to data released Tuesday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The local region added about 14,700 jobs in the 12-month period, bringing its total employment figure to roughly 781,000, according to the report. By comparison:

• San Jose, Calif. added 700 jobs for a 0.8 percent increase

• Raleigh, N.C. added 8,800 jobs for a 1.7 percent increase

• Nashville, Tenn. lost 2,200 jobs for a 0.3 percent decrease

• Seattle lost 1,900 jobs for a 0.1 percent decrease

• Phoenix lost nearly 50,000 jobs for a 2.3 percent decrease

• San Antonio added 17,900 jobs for a 2.9 percent increase

• Memphis, Tenn. lost 10,800 jobs for a 1.7 percent decrease

• Albany, NY remained stagnant.