Doubling down on the rebirth of the American shopping mall

Despite significant obstacles, some of the country's biggest developers are making huge bets that the shopping mall still has a bright future -- albeit with a major makeover. Last year, Taubman Centers opened The Mall at University Town Center in Sarasota. Florida. Bill Taubman, COO of Taubman Centers, said "The U.S. isn't overretailed, it's under-idea'd. If you have a great idea… it doesn't matter how much competition there is." Full story at CNBC.

Florida Trend Exclusive
Transportation: Still hovering

Entrepreneur Tony Morris wants to build a magnetically levitated train (a “maglev”) that glides 13 miles between Orlando International Airport and the Orange County Convention Center. But his American Maglev Technolgies faces some challenges, not least of which is pulling off the technical challenge of building the first commercial maglev train in the Western Hemisphere. Access full article.

Midnight deadline approaches for oil spill settlement claims

With a midnight Monday deadline approaching to file claims under a 2012 settlement over the BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill, the claims administrator said he expected a last-minute rush of filers. [Source: AP]

Drone technology helps Florida farmers cut costs

As state legislation slowly shifts to allow the implementation of drones in Florida’s agriculture, farmers are beginning to turn to the new technology to cut costs and reduce time-draining tasks like checking on crops acre by acre. [Source: WUFT]

Hospitals to get $400 million in state funds

Hospital funding was a major part of the regular session standoff between the House and Senate that prevented lawmakers from passing a state budget. They are now in a 20-day special session where they must pass a budget bill before the July 1 start of the next fiscal year. [Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune]

Earlier:
» Florida House soundly rejects compromise on Medicaid expansion

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Florida legislators benefit from heavily subsidized health insurance [Tampa Bay Times]
Florida legislators are entitled to a very generous health insurance package that costs $22,000 a year — with premiums mostly covered by Florida taxpayers. And, over the years, they have rejected any attempts by Gov. Rick Scott to reduce the benefit.

› Talking tech with Singularity’s Salim Ismail [Miami Herald]
In a daylong event, Salim Ismail, global ambassador and the founding executive director of Silicon Valley’s famed Singularity University, presented scores of mind-blowing examples of technology moving at exponential speeds.

› 5 questions with lawyer Peter Quinter after bar association trip to Cuba [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
The international law section of the Florida Bar Association just organized its first trip to Cuba, spurred by changes in U.S. regulations that ease relations with the communist-led island.

› As it turns 25, Universal exploding with growth [Orlando Sentinel]
Universal Studios' Orlando debut was not exactly a show stopper. A quarter-century later, Universal's story has taken a much different turn. Universal celebrates its 25th anniversary as a theme-park powerhouse poised for growth as explosive as any blockbuster action movie.
» See also: How Robert Iger's 'fearless' deal-making transformed Disney

Go to page 2 for more stories ...

› At Miami chamber goals conference, Cuba is the word [Miami Herald]
Business opportunities resulting from the thaw with Cuba were on the agenda during the second day of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce’s annual goals conference Friday. “I think Cuba will one day turn out to be something absolutely spectacular,” said Pedro Freyre, chair of Akerman’s International Practice.

› Electronic Arts Tiburon shows off renovations at Maitland headquarters [Orlando Sentinel]
About a year ago, Electronic Arts officials contacted Phoenix Rising, a local manufacturing company that builds tech-based fixtures and structures for businesses. The company has done work with Universal Studios, Kennedy Space Center and the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.

› In Miami-Dade, motorists (and politicians) feeling toll shock [Miami Herald]
Miami-Dade’s dream of an east-west commuter rail line has died multiple deaths through the years, but Esteban “Steve” Bovo thinks he has a powerful new force to get it done: people fuming over more tolls from the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority.

› Fortune 500 rankings: Ten things to know about U.S., Florida companies [Tampa Bay Times]
The annual Fortune 500 list of largest companies ranked by revenues was unveiled Thursday with some of the usual highlights. But here are 10 things you probably don't know about the nation's (and Florida's) largest companies.