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Economic yearbook 2010
Miami-Dade / Monroe Yearbook 2010
Hard-hit Miami-Dade is getting a boost from tourism.
Person to Watch
» After BankUnited failed last year, John A. Kanas led a group that bought the bank’s assets and started a revival of Florida’s largest locally based financial institution. Rather than retreat, the bank’s chairman, president and CEO has fixed his eye on further growing the institution, looking to open branches, acquire another bank or both.
Businesses to Watch
» Rilea Group’s 1450 Brickell Avenue, MDM Development Group’s Met2 Financial Center and Foram Group’s Brickell Financial will together add more than 2.8 million square feet of office space to downtown Miami —?a market already struggling with a 15% vacancy rate. If the companies are able to make inroads toward filling their spaces, it will likely be because of new companies entering the market.
» France-based Bouyges Travaux Publics is leading the consortium that will build a $1-billion tunnel under Biscayne Bay to connect the Port of Miami with the MacArthur Causeway. Officials expect the company to begin hiring for construction jobs this year.
» The number of American Airlines’ international flights through Miami International Airport is one measure of the health of international business and leisure travel into the area. Last year, American Airlines and American Eagle added 25 flights. Executives say this year the airlines will add 20 flights. Economic development leaders say the growth in flights to MIA is instrumental in being able to pitch international companies to open locations in the county.
» Fontainebleau Miami Beach is south Florida’s largest resort — with 1,504 rooms. It reopened in late 2008 after being closed for two years for renovations and expansion. It’s the closest thing the county has to a convention hotel and is a popular site for business meetings and leisure travelers. Bookings at the hotel, which is one of Miami Beach’s largest employers, could indicate a recovery in the group business travel sector. But expect drama this year from legal battles the company is involved in, including unpaid contractor bills, an overdue construction loan and fallout from the bankruptcy of its sister property in Las Vegas.
 Business bookings at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach will be a good indicator of how quickly Miami’s economy will bounce back. [Photo: AP/Lynne Sladky] |
 Carnival is hiring. [Photo: Carnival Cruise] |
» Burger King Corp. is hiring for a variety of headquarters jobs, including finance, marketing and human resources.
» Visa is hiring heavily in service
and call center support.
» Ryder System is hiring in maintenance management, IT, finance, human resources and other functions.
» United HomeCare Services needs
more than 100 employees, mostly
home health care aides.
» Eulen America is hiring for airport services concessions.
» Automatic Data Processing is hiring some sales and client support staff locally.
» Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Sherwin Williams and TD Bank are all hiring management trainees.
» Johnson & Johnson Cordis Corp. is hiring finance and MIS trainees.
» Sedano’s supermarkets has been staffing up a new store in Westchester and adding some headquarters personnel to support the four new stores it has opened around the state in the past few months.
