Florida rated among top 5 in the country for business investment
Florida is one of the top five states in the country for startups and businesses seeking funding. Florida came in at No. 4 with $57 billion in the state from 41,893 investors. California, New York and Texas hold the top three spots, with West Virginia — considerably smaller in population — in the fifth spot. Another smaller state, in terms of people, on the top 10, is Oklahoma, at No. 8. More from Business Observer.
Florida Council of 100 backs NASA HQ move to 'mission-critical operations' in Florida
More than 125 prominent business, academic and civic leaders have signed a joint letter to Florida’s congressional delegation expressing their strong support for the relocation of NASA Headquarters to Florida from Washington, D.C. The letter, issued by the Florida Council of 100, positions the opportunity as being “once-in-a-generation” that can deliver economic benefits for the state and help position NASA for its boldest future. More from Florida Trend and Spectrum News.
‘A big deal for Central Florida’: Hotel tax shakeup gains momentum
A tax package advancing in the Florida Senate could shake up how Orange County spends tens of millions of dollars in hotel tax revenue, potentially directing money from tourism advertising to mass transit and other transportation needs. The changes, green-lighted by the Senate’s Finance and Tax Committee on Tuesday, could allow more than $50 million to be shifted from Visit Orlando, the region’s tourism development organization, to public projects like expanding SunRail. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Winn-Dixie parent restructuring staff, evaluating Baymeadows HQ space
Southeastern Grocers LLC is restructuring, reducing staff and reviewing its need for space at its leased Prominence Office Park headquarters building as it adjusts with the ownership of the 170 stores it bought from Aldi U.S. The Jacksonville-based supermarket chain sold about 400 Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores to discount grocer Aldi U.S. in March 2024 and in February 2025 bought back 170. More from the Jacksonville Daily Record.
Tampa Bay’s two newest banks among the fastest growing in the area
The two newest banks in Tampa Bay, Climate First Bank and Waterfall Bank, ranked significantly higher than all other local banks by percentage increase in deposits from Q4 2023 to Q4 2024, according to data from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Both Climate First and Waterfall were founded in 2021. In just four years, they have grown their deposits nearly tenfold, from a combined $110 million to over $1 billion. They both also ranked high when comparing dollar increases. More from the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
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Out of the Box
This Tampa Bay woman is headed to the mermaid Olympics in Europe
Even when she’s in bed, about to drift off to sleep, Mandy Walker’s mind is in the water. She hears the shrill cry of a whistle as the race begins. She feels her muscles burning as her body — half woman, half fish — glides through a blur of blue. She imagines the adrenaline pushing her to the finish line. In five weeks, Walker is headed to the Official Merlympics in Wolfsburg, Germany.
» More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Florida Trend Exclusive
Miami Live!
The Miami Marlins are working with the Cordish Companies to make loanDepot Park more of a year-round destination. They plan to open Miami Live! next year with indoor and outdoor dining and entertainment spaces. Cordish similarly has developed The Battery Atlanta and Texas Live with the Braves and Rangers and already operates Vivo!, a 62,000-sq.-ft. dining and entertainment center at Miami’s Dolphin Mall.
» Read more from Florida Trend.