Friday's Daily Pulse

› Tampa's vacant historic federal courthouse could become luxury hotel [Tampa Bay Times]
A four-company team of private developers has been chosen to redevelop Tampa's historic but long-closed U.S. courthouse as a luxury hotel, Mayor Bob Buckhorn announced Thursday. Tampa Hotel Partners, LLC consists of the Development Service Group (DSG) of Memphis, Ferrell Redevelopment of Tampa, Kobi Karp Architects of Miami, and The Beck Group of Tampa. "This restoration will breathe new life into downtown," Buckhorn said in a prepared statement.

› Old Amway Arena to be imploded after all [Orlando Sentinel]
Orlando's old Amway Arena will go out with a bang after all. Developers of the site where the arena sits have revised their demolition plans and now say they'll use explosive charges to implode the entire building sometime in March. In August, the developers of the Creative Village and city officials announced that the 23-year-old former home of the Orlando Magic would be carefully dismantled, with much of its materials recycled or reused. But last week, they hired a demolition contractor who recommended implosion.

› Florida to sue firms promising homeowners they could stay in their homes despite foreclosure [Florida Times-Union]
The state of Florida is suing two South Florida firms which promised to keep homeowners facing foreclosure in their homes. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Thursday that her office has filed a lawsuit against MGD Management and CRS Marketing. The suit accuses the companies of misleading customers into thinking they could stay in their homes for years while paying nothing on their mortgage, taxes, insurance or HOA fees.

› Sarasota blood bank objects to merger [Orlando Sentinel]
A small Sarasota blood bank is urging the state to halt a planned merger of Florida's three largest blood centers, including the one based in Orlando. The antitrust division of Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi's office is about to complete an inquiry and issue an opinion on the proposed consolidation of Orlando's main blood center with ones in St. Petersburg and South Florida.

› St. Petersburg mayor to meet with Tampa Bay Rays owner to talk about a new stadium [Tampa Bay Times]
A long-awaited meeting between Mayor Bill Foster and Tampa Bay Rays owner Stu Sternberg is planned for Jan. 17, a sit-down that will break a months-long silence between the two people with the most control over the club's future at Tropicana Field. Foster said Thursday he called Sternberg in December and arranged the meeting. It will be held in St. Petersburg, but Foster wouldn't reveal a specific location or the scope of the meeting.

› Stallion farms keep producing winners [Ocala Star-Banner]
After two years of success, Brent Fernung convinced Wildcat Heir's owners to keep the stallion in the state instead of moving him north, like so many other stallions have done after finding early success. That decision paid off, as Wildcat Heir topped Florida's stallion list for the second straight year.