Florida Trend | Florida's Business Authority

Wednesday's Afternoon Update

Florida ranks as second-best state for business

In Chief Executive’s eighth annual survey of CEO opinion of Best and Worst States in which to do business, Texas easily clinched the No. 1 rank, the eighth successive time it has done so. California earns the dubious honor of being ranked dead last for the eighth consecutive year. Florida moved up from number three last year to number two. Last year, Florida Gov. Rick Scott penned a tongue-in-cheek letter to Texas Gov. Rick Perry, warning him that Florida is coming after the Lone Star State’s top ranking. Read more and see the complete rankings from Chief Executive.

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» The Texas-Florida Connection


Business Profile
Logo X-Press

Floridian

Haywood and Jennifer Wallace have turned what could have been a humdrum logo shop into a multi-faceted business that now produces about $750,000 in annual revenue.

Variety is the key to success for Logo X-Press, which can provide silk-screen, hot press, embroidery or slap a label on just about any item of clothing or marketable item ranging from pencils to T-shirts to jackets to duffle bags. Logo X-Press also makes custom signs, brochures and pamphlets.

» Read an interview with Wallace at the Florida Times-Union

» Logo X-Press site

VR Laboratories gives potential employees early look at company

Prospective employees of Bonita Springs-based VR Laboratories learned more about the company and began the application process this week at the first of several informational sessions at the Southwest Florida Works center in Fort Myers. [Source: Fort Myers News-Press]


Gov. Scott rejects ban on guns near GOP convention

Gov. Rick Scott is saying no to Tampa's request to ban carrying concealed weapons outside the Republican National Convention, according to a letter from Scott sent to Mayor Bob Buckhorn. Buckhorn wrote to Scott requesting that the governor issue an executive order prohibiting the transportation of firearms in downtown Tampa during the convention. In a response, Scott suggests that Tampa is overreaching in its request. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]


Tourism-industry pep rally touts economic clout

Orlando's tourism industry held a rally Tuesday calling attention to the economic benefits of travel and urging supporters to press government representatives to support the industry. "We sometimes are misunderstood as a low-wage industry. In fact, hotels, attractions and restaurants are very similar to other industries," said Richard Maladecki, president of the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association. "There are front-line employees, middle management and upper management that have salary ranges that cross the entire spectrum." [Source: Orlando Sentinel]


Bank scraps plan to sell Florida offices

First Banks Inc. has scrapped a deal to sell its Florida franchise of 19 offices. First Banks, which bought the foundering Coast Bank of Bradenton in 2007, said it terminated a sale agreement after the unidentified buyer failed to meet certain conditions. [Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune]


Out of the Box
metropole Trends in resurrection
After its Tupac Shakur hologram sparked a buzz, animation firm Digital Domain Media Group said it will create more virtual versions of dead music stars. Digital Domain last month unveiled a hologram of the late rapper Tupac Shakur at a concert in California. The two-song performance grabbed headlines and attracted millions of views on YouTube. "Even we are surprised by the magnitude of the interest," Digital Domain Chief Executive John Textor said this afternoon. The Tupac performance sparked speculation that the ghosts of Elvis Presley, John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix and Michael Jackson someday might appear in front of paying audiences. Read more from the Palm Beach Post and Digital Domain.