Florida business leaders fight immigration verification proposal

A wide-ranging coalition that includes a major Republican donor, cruise-line officials, agricultural interests and former pro basketball players is seeking to halt a proposed constitutional amendment that would require Florida businesses to verify the immigration status of new employees. See the story from WFSU here, and read more at WJXT and the Tampa Bay Times.

See also:
» Read the text of Prop 29: Employment Eligibility Verification Requirements, from the Florida Constitutional Revision Commission
» See counterpoint from the Immigration Partnership & Coalition Fund (IMPAC Fund) titled, "Mandatory e-verify could destroy Florida's economy."

Florida Trend Exclusive
Higher grounds: A look at the coffee revolution in Florida

The latest coffee revolution comes with great perks for Florida’s java lovers. Coffee itself is not local. Roasting those beans, however, is very local. As many as 100 small businesses around Florida import green beans from El Salvador, Sumatra and Kenya and roast them. Full story here.

Florida Senate set for big-dollar fight

Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s (R) decision to challenge Sen. Bill Nelson (D) sets the stage for a contest that could become the most expensive election race of the year — and potentially in U.S. history. Strategists in the state predict that the Scott-Nelson showdown could come close to or surpass Pennsylvania’s Senate race in 2016, which cost a record $188 million. [Source: The Hill]

Florida corrects Hurricane Irma property-loss estimate: $1.2 billion higher

Pointing to “human error,” the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation on Thursday increased its latest property-loss estimate from Hurricane Irma by more than $1.2 billion. The new number is $8.6 billion from the September storm. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

The changing state of retail in Florida

Shopping as we know it is changing fast. Big box stores are vanishing; Amazon is going bricks and mortar. What does it all mean for the health of Florida's economy? Florida Matters examines how the retail industry is adapting to survive in an increasingly digital world. [Source: WJCT]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Florida bank to be sold as part of bankruptcy process [American Banker]
A group of investors has agreed to buy Beach Community Bank in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., for $100 million once its holding company goes through bankruptcy.

› Adversarial investor drops $49 million stake in Outback Steakhouse owner Bloomin’ Brands [Tampa Bay Times]
An adversarial investor in Outback Steakhouse owner Bloomin’ Brands has sold off about $49 million worth of its shares, lowering its stake in the Tampa-based restaurant company. JANA Partners, a New York hedge fund, has lowered its stake in Bloomin’ Brands from 8.6 percent to 6.4 percent.

› 'Trademark issue' puts developer of 'SeeWorld' app on notice [Orlando Sentinel]
A University of Florida team has put the brakes on an augmented reality app that shared SeaWorld’s animal-captivity practices. Sid Dobrin and his team, whose app “SeeWorld” shared criticism of the theme park with users in the app, had labeled the app as a “counter tour.”

› Entrepreneurs abound at FGCU [Florida Weekly]
From a pop rock musician aiming for stardom to the founders of a website that helps college students find roommates, Florida Gulf Coast University students who have created businesses in the school’s fast-growing entrepreneurship program displayed their products.

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› More stuff than space: Self-storage is the latest boom in St. Petersburg [Tampa Bay Times]
Across the country, more than 50,000 self-storage facilities offer a place for Americans to keep their stuff. City officials are unsure how many dot the St. Petersburg landscape, but say as many as 5,000 new storage units have been planned over the past five years.

› Hurricane names Harvey, Irma, Maria and Nate being retired [AP]
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Thursday that hurricane names Harvey, Irma, Maria and Nate will be replaced with Harold, Idalia, Margot and Nigel.

› Florida’s Port Canaveral is growing [Maritime Executive]
One of Florida’s newer deepwater harbors, Port Canaveral is a man-made facility created in the early 1950s. Originally envisioned by local business leaders to support the growth of central Florida, the port has rapidly expanded from its humble beginnings with the local commercial fishing industry.

› Foreclosures on the rise in Southwest Florida [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
Foreclosure activity picked up in Southwest Florida during the first quarter of 2018, another sign that some homeowners are still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s hurricane season. But foreclosures remain well below last year’s levels, staying at what analysts consider a normal volume.