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Central Fla., Space Coast Business Briefs - Dec. 2009
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS — Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University plans to open a campus in January at Cranes Roost in Altamonte Springs.
BREVARD COUNTY — Brevard County is selling more million-dollar homes this year than any other part of central Florida, according to an analysis by Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty in Orlando. The count was 25 through
Sept. 30.
DAYTONA BEACH — Simulation training company Raydon has broken ground on its new headquarters in Port Orange.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER — Florida Power & Light’s new Space Coast Next Generation Solar Energy Center is under construction at Kennedy Space Center. When work is completed in mid-2010, the $79-million plant will combine with new facilities in DeSoto and Martin counties to produce 110 megawatts of power and help bring Florida in line with solar power-producing leaders California and Nevada.
MELBOURNE — Harris Corp. (NYSE-HRS) is launching an international business development team in the United Arab Emirates. Also: The international communications and IT company with headquarters in Melbourne has been awarded a three-year contract potentially worth $7.5 million to service command and control systems for the Air Force’s Mobility Command; the new Harris Center for Science and Engineering and the Harris Institute for Assured Information opened in October with a $5-million donation from Harris, which pledged another $2 million for research. The center will specialize in cybersecurity.
» The U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command has awarded a $730,000 contract to Melbourne technology firm Modus Operandi to develop tools that analyze text and language to allow military intelligence officers to predict how enemies will behave.
» BAE Systems has expanded from Satellite Beach to Melbourne and plans to add 40 high-tech jobs in the next year to its existing workforce of 80. The London-based global defense, security and aerospace company has 105,000 employees worldwide.
» Securboration in Melbourne has won a $32-million extension contract for its work with the Air Force on security and collaboration technology. The firm is a client of the Technological Research and Development Authority’s Business Innovation Center.
ORLANDO/ORANGE COUNTY — A foreign buyer purchased 640 condo units in bulk worth $37.6 million at Belmont at Park Central, Charles Towne at Park Central and Manor Row at Park Central, representing 60% of the total condo inventory. The purchase averages out to $58,750 a unit.
» The University of Central Florida Center for Emerging Media in downtown Orlando has been expanding, bringing in key partners: University of Florida’s Citylab-Orlando, a research and teaching center from the UF College of Design, Construction and Planning; and UCF’s fine arts press. The center already housed UCF’s Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy, which is a graduate-level video-gaming school, and Vicon Entertainment’s House of Moves, a studio that captures human movement for creating movies or video games.
» Jacksonville-based SunWorks Solar has signed a letter of intent to develop a $12-million solar electric/photovoltaic “solar farm” in central Florida that can supply enough power for 300 homes.
» The Federal Emergency Management Agency has awarded the joint venture of engineering firms PBS&J and URS Corp. a five-year contract with a maximum value of $375 million to help provide temporary housing and care for disaster victims.
» Martinair returned to Orlando International Airport in October, bringing flights to nearly 100 worldwide destinations.
» Raytheon has partnered with Walt Disney World on a new attraction at Epcot that lets park visitors design and then ride their own roller coaster on a robotic simulator. Called the Sum of All Thrills, it’s designed to inspire children to appreciate math and science.
» The Big Ten Conference has extended its contract for four years with the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium to host the Capital One Bowl through 2013.
PALM BAY — Globe Wireless, which provides maritime communications systems and services, plans to add 20 to its workforce of 100.
