Morning Links: 25 July 2008

Ex-TRA chief seen as XM-Sirius decider, AmeriGroup to make big payout in Illinois, Eminence joins ranks of 5% Gaylord owners, and more...

Email | Print By Geert De Lombaerde and Walker Duncan

The Wall Street Journal says former Tennessee Regulatory Authority chair Deb Tate will be the swing vote that will decide the planned merger of satellite radio companies XM and Sirius.

A TennCare contractor’s Illinois subsidiary agrees to pay out $225 million over False Claims Act allegations.

With a filing yesterday, Eminence Capital has declared a 6.9 percent stake in Gaylord (Ticker: GET). This news comes less than 48 hours after Texas billionaire Robert Rowling announced his purchase of another $2 million worth of the company’s stock, making him the Gaylord’s largest single shareholder.

Venture Nashville Connections reports on a FractionAir founder's struggles to get his latest venture going.

Operating profits at J. Alexander's (Ticker: JAX) fell 15 percent last quarter as same-store sales fell 4 percent.

Meanwhile, Bank of Nashville parent Synovus reported a 93 percnt drop in profits based on loss provisions. The company (Ticker: SNV) earned a meager 4 cents per share or just over $12 million this quarter after turning in earnings of $168 million or roughly 49 cents per share in the same quarter of last year.