East Central Florida

Daytona Beach, Melbourne, Orlando

Diane Sears | 10/10/2011

Above: Port Canaveral was homeport to six multi-day cruise vessels in 2010. Total revenue passengers: 2.7 million-plus, up 10% over 2009. Also up: cargo tonnage by 23%.

Quality of Life

Entertainment options: Amway Center, billed as the nation's most technologically advanced events arena, opened in downtown Orlando in late 2010. In addition to being home court for the Orlando Magic, the center hosts top-name musical talent and events such as the 2012 NBA All-Star Game. Nearby, ground was broken in June 2011 on the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, a three-theater venue that will host Broadway-style shows and other stage productions.

Diverse terrain: From the beaches of Brevard and Volusia to the hills of Lake and Sumter counties, East Central Florida caters to an active lifestyle. Walkers, joggers and bikers especially enjoy the paved trails built along former railway paths.

Big-city, small-town: Orlando's urban core has a big-city feel, and numerous smaller downtowns throughout the region offer residents the chance to really know their neighbors. Around these parts, people say you can move into East Central Florida and "fit right in right away."

Notable Employers

Aviation/Aerospace/ Defense

Boeing Company, Titusville
General Electric Company, Melbourne
Harris Corporation, Melbourne
Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral
Lockheed Martin Corporation, Orlando
L3 Communications, Melbourne and Cape Canaveral
Northrop Grumman Corporation, Orlando and Melbourne
Raytheon Company, Orlando and Melbourne
Rockwell Collins Inc., Melbourne
Siemens, Orlando and Melbourne

Tourism/Hospitality

American Automobile Association, Heathrow
Darden Restaurants, Orlando
Mears Transportation Group, Orlando
Ruth's Hospitality Group Inc., Heathrow
SeaWorld, Orlando
Universal Studios Florida, Orlando
Walt Disney World, Orlando

Financial Services

CNL Financial Group Inc., Orlando
AT&T, Lake Mary
Convergys Corporation, Lake Mary
FiServ Inc., Lake Mary

Opened in fall 2010, UCF's College of Medicine is already making history as the first medical school ever to provide full four-year scholarships to its entire charter class. [Photo: UCF College of Medicine]

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