AI eyed in insurance claim denials
A Florida Senate committee Tuesday approved a bill that would prevent insurers from using artificial intelligence as the sole basis for denying claims, with the proposal saying decisions should be made by a “qualified human professional.” The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee unanimously backed the proposal (SB 794), which comes as other states also have looked at the use of artificial intelligence in insurance decisions. “We want to make sure that we strike the right balance between allowing innovation but also protecting consumers from unaccountable algorithms,” bill sponsor Jennifer Bradley, R-Fleming Island, said. More from the News Service of Florida.
First-ever Florida Tourism Day Expo comes to Tallahassee Wednesday
A half-dozen major tourism and hospitality industry associations are teaming up to host an expo emphasizing the economic impact tourism has on Florida’s economy. The Florida Tourism Day Expo will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday on S. Adams Street between Jefferson Street and College Avenue. The event is free and open to the public. More from Florida Politics.
JU, UNF recognized as top global MBA programs
Jacksonville is one of the best places in the world to be if you are seeking a graduate degree in business, according to CEO Magazine. Jacksonville University’s Davis College of Business and Technology and the Coggin College of Business at the University of Florida are included in the publication’s 2025 Tier One Global MBA Rankings. More from the Jacksonville Daily Record.
$200 million food production facility breaks ground in Zephyrhills
A $200 million food production facility, in the works since 2023, has broken ground in Zephyrhills. Bauducco Foods, which received an $8 million economic development incentive package from Zephyrhills, has started construction on a production and distribution facility that spans 72 acres at the Zephyrhills Airport Industrial Park. The factory will eventually create 600 jobs. More from the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
Boca Raton’s Research Park at FAU taps new leasing team to drive innovation and growth
As Boca Raton continues its rise as a hub of new development, business and industry, the research park at Florida Atlantic University may emerge as another way for the city to grow as the park receives new leasing leadership. Colliers, a real estate company, is now overseeing leasing at the park and it recently leased one of the buildings to Baptist Health. Plans also are in the works to bring in a surgical center along with a construction and engineering firm. It’s just the latest sign of progress. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Sports Business
BMX track draws amateur and pro riders to east Manatee County
Jeremy Smith and Will Grant, best friends and champion BMX bicycle riders, had two goals outside of winning races. They wanted to buy “some acres,” and build something “rad.” Smith, 30, was an alternate athlete in the 2024 Paris Olympics, and Grant, 32, won two national titles as a teenager and turned pro at 16 years old. Now, they’re the co-owners of Aker Brand Farms in Myakka City off State Road 64 in east Manatee County.
» More from the Business Observer.
Entertainment
Indoor roller coaster on track for Legoland Florida in 2026
Central Florida has another roller coaster on tap. Legoland Florida will add an indoor thrill ride at the Winter Haven theme park in 2026. Neither a name nor a theme was announced for the new attraction, although the Legoland news release perhaps hints with its wording “truly out of this world.” The coaster will operate from the Lego City location where Flying School, an inverted coaster, stood until it was closed in 2023.
» Read more from the Orlando Sentinel.