May 25, 2013
Fort Walton Beach

Fort Walton Beach

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The PLAYERS - 17th Hole

The world-famous 17th hole of THE PLAYERS Sawgrass Stadium Course at Ponte Vedra Beach

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Top Reasons to do Business in Florida

Florida's Quality of Life

Not only is Florida a great place to do business, it's a great place to live.

| 9/20/2012
Not only is Florida a great place to do business, it’s a great place to live. Balmy temperatures and white sandy beaches are just the start. Here are reasons why so many are attracted to the Sunshine State.

EDUCATION

• 4th among U.S. states for number of high schools on U.S.News & World Report’s 2012 list of “Top 300 U.S. High Schools”

• 6th in the nation for percentage of high school graduates passing at least one Advanced Placement exam

CULTURE

• In 2013, Viva Florida 500 commemorates Florida’s rich heritage and diverse cultural history — a significant milestone unlike any other in the history of the United States. Activities and events will mark Florida’s 500th anniversary, a statewide and yearlong event.

• 8 Florida cities — more than any other state — named “Top Arts Destinations” in 2012 by AmericanStyle magazine; 4 topped their categories: St. Petersburg and Tampa for mid-size cities; Sarasota and Bradenton for small

HEALTHCARE

• More than 300 general medical and surgical hospitals

• One of the nation’s foremost healthcare destinations: Florida hospitals earned 31 top 50 rankings in U.S.News & World Report’s list of “America’s Best Hospitals, 2012”; four were among the top 20 nationwide in six medical specialities

VALUE

• No personal income tax

• Cost of living below that of comparable states with similar growth and in-migration rate

LIFESTYLE

• 1,350 golf courses

• 2,300 miles of tidal shoreline; 11,000 miles of rivers, streams and waterways

• 152 state parks

• World-class sporting events and 12 major professional sports franchises in Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, National Football League and National Hockey League

• NASCAR, the Daytona 500 and the PGA Tour, LPGA and the PGA of America all call the Sunshine State home

For more information about Florida’s outstanding attractions and exceptional quality of life, go to www.visitflorida.com

Tags: Business Florida

Florida Business News

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    The scores released today are the first wave of marks expected from the 2013 administration of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test and the state's new end-of-course exams.

  • Three Florida beaches make Dr. Beach Top 10 list for 2013

    The smile of Dr. Beach still shines on the Sunshine State as three Florida beaches made his annual Top 10 beaches in the U.S. list.

  • U.S. weather-watcher satellite fails just before hurricane season

    A key satellite positioned to track severe weather in the eastern United States has failed, just as the 2013 Atlantic hurricane season is about to start.

    FRIDAY PREVIEW:
    Coming next week to FloridaTrend.com:

    • Florida Icon: C.C. 'Doc' Dockey - The businessman tells us: "I've learned that both political parties in Florida do better running and building than they do governing."
    • CEO Sounding Board - Florida CEOs talk about a recent settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
    • Bearing Down in Jacksonville - Chinese company HCH targets north Florida for distribution.
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Apart from remembering and honoring the men and women who lost their lives in military service, do you have any plans for the extended Memorial Day weekend?

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