Tourism industry goes on offense
Tourism-industry leaders are once again looking to counter negative media images of Florida, this time after Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton caused widespread damage — including in areas of the Gulf Coast that are popular with visitors. Tourism-industry officials have faced similar issues in the past. After Hurricane Ian in 2022, Visit Florida undertook a three-phase, $5 million marketing effort aimed at offsetting media coverage of the storm. More from the News Service of Florida.
Building Resilience: How Sanibel businesses recover from hurricanes
Operating a business in Sanibel is difficult enough; however, recovering can become a monumental feat when Mother Nature interferes. Residents and business owners alike are familiar with how impactful hurricane flooding can be on the island, which inspires creative ways to deal with recovery. Residents and business owners are encouraged to raise their buildings to better deal with floodwater. While encouraged to do so, many face financial issues preventing them from building their properties upward. More from WINK News and Gulfshore Business.
Analysts waiting for CSX Investor Day to learn CEO’s ‘yardstick’ for success
Investors were disappointed with CSX Corp.’s third-quarter earnings report, but the Jacksonville-based railroad company will soon have another chance to make an impression. CSX has scheduled an Investor Day presentation Nov. 7, and analysts are looking forward to hearing CEO Joe Hinrichs’ outlook on the company’s future. More from the Jacksonville Daily Record.
‘Difficult decisions’: Central Florida restaurants shut down amid rising costs
Several notable Central Florida restaurants have closed their doors in recent months, saying “the cost of everything” made it too expensive to stay open. The shuttered businesses included a popular lunch stop, a pioneering vegan restaurant and a brunch place on Winter Park’s Park Avenue. In just the last week, a brewery in downtown Sanford and a restaurant in Orlando’s trendy Thornton Park neighborhood announced they were shutting, too. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Aviation industry firm setting up Miramar operation
Broward County is adding a prominent player to its portfolio of aviation and aerospace industry firms with the arrival of Ontic, a global maintenance, repair and overhaul company that intends to set up shop in Miramar and employ 88 people. Ontic provides complex engineered parts and repair services for existing aircraft in the defense and commercial markets. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Sports Business
Jeff Vinik sells majority stake in Lightning, but is sticking around
Jeff Vinik has sold a majority interest of the Tampa Bay Lightning, along with his Vinik Sports Group, to a pair of Wall Street investors and their partners. Vinik, who has been widely praised for his philanthropy around Tampa Bay and willingness to spend freely to keep the Lightning atop the standings, has retained a minority share of the franchise and will run the team for the next three years while continuing to serve as the team’s governor in NHL matters.
» More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Business Profile
Lightening the load
Born and raised in a Cuban-American household in Miami, the always entrepreneurial Bianca Padilla studied economics at New York University. While there, she worked in finance internships and ended up starting a side business — an app to teach kids how to save money — but it failed; a lack of knowledge about how to manage engineers and understand the development life cycle did her in. She decided if she was going to be an entrepreneur, she needed tech skills.
» Read more from Florida Trend.