SHARE:
Thursday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
New unemployment claims dropping in Florida as state reopens, but economy still hit hard
New unemployment claims in Florida hit 86,298 for the week ending June 13, the U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday —the second straight week that the initial figure hit a new post-pandemic low as the Sunshine State continues to reopen. New jobless claims across the U.S also. continued to fall. For the prior week, seasonally adjusted initial claims hit 1.5 million — a decrease of 58,000 from the previous week’s revised level. More from the Miami Herald.
Florida Citrus Commission approves preliminary 2020-21 budget of nearly $20M
The Florida Citrus Commission approved a preliminary 2020-21 operating budget for the Florida Department of Citrus of nearly $20 million. The Department’s total preliminary budget is $19.875 million with an overall budget increase over the previous season of about $4.2 million, largely due to an increase in General Revenue funds. More from Florida Trend.
What CEOs make at Tampa Bay’s Top 10 publicly traded companies
Chief executives of the nation’s largest public companies took home some truly monumental pay packages last year, but you won’t find any of the Tampa Bay area’s CEOs anywhere near the top of that heap. A recent Associated Press survey of 329 companies nationwide found the median pay package for the CEO of an S&P 500 company was $12.3 million, meaning half made more and half made less. Around the bay area, only Raymond James Financial chief executive officer Paul Reilly ended up in the upper half of that group, and not by much. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
JEA loses Plant Vogtle nuclear power lawsuit
JEA’s long-shot quest to cancel a costly agreement for buying power from the Plant Vogtle nuclear plant fizzled out Wednesday when a judge ruled against JEA and said the contract is valid. The decision handed down by U.S. District Judge Mark Cohen, who presides in the northern district of Georgia, means JEA is stuck with purchasing power at a steep cost for 20 years after construction finishes on Plant Vogtle’s two new reactors. More from the Florida Times-Union.
Land swap brings American Dream Miami mega mall closer to 2021 groundbreaking
The American Dream mega mall is on track, thanks to a land swap with the Graham Companies. Canadian developer Triple Five Group acquired about 25 acres within the footprint of American Dream Miami after trading 27 acres with Miami Lakes-based Graham Companies. The deal was first reported by the South Florida Business Journal. The transaction provides the final slice of of the 174 acres needed for the mall. More from the Miami Herald.
Sports Business
Where South Florida pro teams stand in plan for sports to return
Last weekend’s races at the Homestead-Miami Speedway marked an official return of live sports to the South Florida area, although it was without spectators. The major sports leagues are not far behind. Major League Baseball aside, the questions are no longer “if” but “when” for the professional sports leagues in their hopes to return after the coronavirus pandemic brought much of the country to a screeching halt.
» More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Sustainability Trends
The Florida Green Lodging Program is helping hotels go green
The Florida Green Lodging Program is a partnership between the Department of Environmental Protection and the state’s hotel and hospitality industry. The initiative gives a formal designation to lodging facilities that voluntarily commit to reducing waste, conserving water, using less energy and recycling.
» Read more from Florida Trend.
In case you missed it:
