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Thursday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Visit Florida to seek at least $75 million in taxpayer dollars for next year
Florida’s tourism-marketing agency will ask lawmakers to maintain increased funding and extend its life, as the state ramps up efforts to attract international visitors amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Visit Florida Chairman Danny Gaekwad told members of the Enterprise Florida Board of Directors on Wednesday that Visit Florida will request at least $75 million for tourism marketing during the upcoming legislative session and will ask lawmakers to extend an Oct. 1, 2023, “sunset” date for the agency. More from the News Service of Florida.
Florida, Texas report surge in COVID-19 comp claims
The summer surge in COVID-19 cases in Florida began in July, as 4,221 COVID-19 workers compensation indemnity claims were filed — more than six times the number filed in June — and August tallies show a slight drop, according to data released by Wednesday by the Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation. More from Business Insurance.
Police officers lose appeal in suit claiming Pompano Beach company sells unsafe bulletproof vests
Police officers have been dealt a loss in their bid to prove that their safety was jeopardized by alleged design flaws in bulletproof vests made by a Pompano Beach company. The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeal this week struck down a group of officers’ effort to overturn a U.S. district judge’s August 2020 ruling denying class certification for a lawsuit they filed against Point Break Enterprises in 2019. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Port Canaveral back to making profit, projects record revenue for 2022
Port Canaveral is back in business now that cruise lines have returned to sailing, and the outlook for fiscal year 2022 is projected to be a record. “August was the first time in 17 months that we covered our operating expenses and debt service in the result. So it’s been a long 17 months, but we’re back,” said port CEO Capt. John Murray on Wednesday at the board of commissioners meeting. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Sarasota County picks Benderson Development to continue negotiations over selling downtown headquarters
Sarasota County is as close as it's ever been to leaving downtown after the County Commission voted to continue negotiations to sell its property located in the Sarasota city limits. The County Commission has narrowed down six offers received for the property this summer to one proposal for which it will continue negotiations over buying three parcels totaling just over five acres in the urban core. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Sports Business
From the gridiron to the golf course
Tampa Bay Buccaneers legend Ronde Barber moves from football to helping organize the preeminent golf tournament in the area. Golf these days is more than getting together with buddies and heading out to play 18. Golf has become his business and, in a way, his profession.
» More from the Business Observer.
Tech Trends
'Just like you're in the airplane:' Boeing center in Jacksonville develops virtual training for Navy planes
The new Boeing Jacksonville Training Systems Center of Excellence develops maintenance training systems for military aircraft, including the Navy’s P-8 Poseidon fleet at NAS Jacksonville. The systems, which mimic that aircraft in minute detail, are designed to allow those who will work on planes to learn virtually. They will let them make mistakes without risks. And they will let them come face to virtual face with problems they might not otherwise ever see with hands-on training on real planes.
» Read more from the Florida Times-Union.
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