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Central Florida Business Briefs - March 2006
DAYTONA BEACH --
? Volusia County has earmarked 130 acres adjacent to Daytona Beach International Airport and north of Beville Road for expansion of aviation, industrial and commercial development that might include corporate hangars, aviation maintenance facilities and manufacturing and office buildings.
LAKE MARY --
? Stirling International Realty> has formed an alliance with auction house spinoff Sotheby's International Realty, giving the Lake Mary-based luxury real estate operation a worldwide brand identity to appeal to buyers outside central Florida.
ORANGE COUNTY --
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The Mentor Group plans to open a spinal injury treatment center in the Avalon Park Medical Building at Founders Square. The practice will employ more than 20.
? The University of Central Florida will help people with disabilities learn about the latest devices to assist them at a new center in the Central Florida Research Park.
? The first-ever Orlando World's Fair for Kids debuts at the Orange County Convention Center April 15-23. The event is designed to challenge children through interactive pavilions representing six worlds.
? Orlando and Visit Florida, the state's official tourism marketing company, will co-host the Travel Industry Association of America's International Pow Wow tradeshow in May at the Orange County Convention Center. The event is expected to bring delegates from more than 70 countries.
ORLANDO --
? Home Depot has purchased Hughes Supply, the only Fortune 500 company besides Darden Restaurants (NYSE-DRI) with headquarters in central Florida, for $3.47 billion.
? Orlando-based CNL Hotels & Resorts is paying $753 million for the Grande Lakes Orlando resort, which includes a Ritz-Carlton and a J.W. Marriott.
? Developer Cameron Kuhn's operation, Kuhn Cos., which is developing downtown projects worth more than $1 billion in Orlando and Jacksonville, has formed a telecommunications reseller, Kuhn Communications, to offer tenants high-speed broadband and VOIP for a discount of about 40%.
? The Superior Group has purchased the 101-room Crowne Plaza Resort Orlando on International Drive and plans to add a 700-unit condo project.
? The Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando has completed a $5.5-million renovation.
? Sage Resort, a 10-story condominium-hotel, is scheduled to break ground in April on International Drive near Sand Lake Road and open in June 2007 with 260 units.
? The 394-room Hurricane Charley-damaged Royal Plaza at Walt Disney World Resort has reopened after a multimillion-dollar refurbishment.
? Florida A&M University's College of Law moved into its permanent campus in the Parramore neighborhood.
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WINTER PARK --
Rollins College has completed an 18-month renovation and expansion of the Cornell Fine Arts Museum, which reopened in January. One of the oldest museums in Florida, the facility houses works from the Renaissance period through modern times. The renovation doubled the number of galleries and added a print study room, a first of its kind in the state, which was funded by the Siemens Corp. Foundation.
