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Business Florida 2015 - The Regions
Southwest Florida
Cape Coral, Estero, Fort Myers, Naples, Punta Gorda
QUALITY OF LIFE
Happy and healthy
A July 2014 report from the U.S. National Bureau of Economic Research ranks Naples No. 4 on its list of 10 U.S. metro areas with the highest report of happiness, and one reason might be related to health. In 2014, Collier County ranked No. 1 among Florida’s 67 counties for length of life and No. 2 for overall health outcomes on “County Health Rankings & Roadmaps,” a report jointly published by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.
Fun for all
Southwest Florida is home to sunshine — some boast 360 days of it each year — and miles of sandy beaches for snorkeling, kayaking or simply relaxing beside the Gulf of Mexico. There are symphony orchestras to enjoy in Fort Myers and Naples, plus a full complement of galleries, museums, theaters and festivals across the region. And if you’re up for a challenge, check out the Murder Mystery Dinner Train, a nostalgic journey to/from Fort Myers that includes a five-course dinner and interactive mystery to solve.
Major league action
Southwest Florida is spring training home to three MLB teams — the Boston Red Sox, Minnesota Twins and Tampa Bay Rays. Insider tip: spring training tickets are less expensive than regular season seats, and the hot dogs taste every bit as good!
NOTABLE ADDITIONS/EXPANSIONS
Information technology
Internationally recognized IT research and advisory company Gartner Inc., a Lee County fixture since 1998, plans to add 400 jobs in Fort Myers by the end of 2019. In 2012, Gartner consolidated its Fort Myers operations into a newly constructed 120,000-sq.-ft. facility and added 400 jobs. Gartner currently employs more than 600 in Lee County.
Aviation manufacturing
Punta Gorda-based Aviation Partners Group (APG) teamed up with aeronautic manufacturer OMA SUD Sky Technologies in early 2014 to assemble the Italian firm’s first SKYCAR aircraft. Now the two are partnering on an expansion at the APG manufacturing facility in Charlotte County to fulfill OMA SUD’s first order for 45 of the twin-engine, five-passenger aircraft, adding 10 new jobs to the 18 already in place there.
