Feds order Florida to halt voter purge

Federal authorities are demanding that Florida halt its push to remove ineligible voters from the voter rolls. In a move that comes just months before the state could play a pivotal role in the 2012 presidential election, the U.S. Department of Justice contends that the state is violating federal law in its effort to identify and remove ineligible voters. The state’s effort has already come under fire from local election supervisors who belong to both political parties, as well as Democratic members of Congress and voting rights groups. Read more from the Associated Press and the Miami Herald.

---

Big, temporary entertainment venue to be built for RNC

The first glimpse of the entertainment landscape around the Republican National Convention is coming into view, and what's on the horizon is both intriguing and impressive. Picture an airy, made-to-order building — a temporary building — with entertainment space for up to 3,500 people. It could host a private concert. It could serve as an exclusive pop-up nightclub, complete with an upstairs VIP area. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

---

More homebuyers willing to pay for 'green' features

Real estate professionals say their experience anecdotally is that green- and budget-conscious buyers are willing to pay more for a house with energy-efficient features. But determining what those features are worth to a home's value has proven difficult for appraisers armed with limited data on the sales of green homes. [Source: Gainesville Sun]

---

Florida Trend Exclusive
On Burger King's menu: Company shares

The Home of the Whopper is going public again. Owner 3G Capital, which bought Burger King and took it private in 2010, sold a 29% interest in the company to publicly traded shell company Justice Holdings and Justice’s founders. When the $1.4 billion purchase closes, BK will begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange. The deal surprised analysts. Full story...

Burger King’s mascot makes his rounds at the New York Stock Exchange during the company’s previous IPO in 2006. 3G Capital took the company private in 2010. The recent announcement to make the chain a public company again took analysts by surprise. [Photo: Richard Drew/AP Photo]

---

Modern building materials render homes quicker to burn

Synthetic carpet, wood veneer or plastic-fiber furniture and polyester drapes are common items in American homes — all materials that evolved from efforts for more environmentally friendly and cost-effective manufacturing. But they are more flammable than organic materials such as cotton and hard wood, which used to make up most contents of the average home. That means structure fires are different than they used to be, burning faster and hotter in most cases, and giving firefighters less time to respond. [Source: Florida Today]

---

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Disney opens $350 million hotel [Orlando Sentinel]
Walt Disney World welcomed the first guests to its newest hotel Thursday morning, after a quick character-and-confetti-filled ceremony. Disney World President Meg Crofton framed the opening of the $350 million Art of Animation Resort as a jolt for the Orlando economy. She told the story of a local firm hired to work on the hotel's construction that was able to add 15 new employees because of the work.

› Tech a top priority for Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce [Miami Herald]
South Florida plays a large role in Latin America’s technology sector, but lacks the kind of high-profile business leaders want for the industry. The Chamber of Commerce hopes to change that. High-tech yachting, anyone?

› Empanadas stuffed with ambition in Tampa [Tampa Bay Times]
Albert Perez is trying to do for the lowly empanada what Taco Bell did for the taco. But he's found that becoming a household word doesn't come easy in this eat-and-run age of fast food — even when your product has an edge in handling.

› Spanish companies to bring job bonanza to Miami [Miami Today]
Miami's Spanish connection is continuing to produce local jobs. Three Spain-based firms have announced they will expand or relocate in Miami, creating 465 jobs in the next three years. Average annual salaries will range from $35,500 to $55,000, officials said.

Go to page 2 for more stories ...

› Fla. justices rule on hurricane insurance issues [AP]
Customers cannot sue insurance companies for violating a law that requires hurricane policies to include warnings of large deductibles in oversize, boldface type and capital letters, but even if they could there's no penalty, the Florida Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

› NFL player gives back to South Miami neighborhood [Miami Herald]
Pro football player Kennard Devane Cox, who grew up in South Miami, has a foundation created to help children.

› Healthcare hidden agenda: cost control [Health News Florida]
Critics of the Affordable Care Act have focused on the “individual mandate” to buy health coverage. But industry leaders say the most far-reaching and incendiary part of the health law could be its shift in the way Americans pay for health care. Rewarding value — good outcomes, cost-effective practices — is likely to have the most potential long-term impact, say experts meeting in Orlando this week.

› CEO of Rothstein-tainted bank is out [Miami Herald]
Gibraltar Private Bank & Trust has replaced its founder, Steven D. Hayworth, formerly chairman and chief executive, with Adolfo Henriques, who previously served as vice chairman, president, and chief operating officer. It is not clear whether Hayworth’s departure is related to the bank’s involvement with convicted Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein.