Central Florida and Space Coast Business Briefs - June 2008

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS

Mercantile Commercial Capital, which helps small-business owners open their own facilities with federal government loans, plans to launch Emergent National Bank later this year with $37 million in startup capital.

BREVARD COUNTY

» The Canaveral Port Authority has sent a feasibility report to Congress in an effort to speed along a proposal to widen and deepen the port basin to better accommodate cruise ships. The $41-million project would be financed by the Port Authority and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

» Disney Cruise Line has extended its contract with Port Canaveral through 2023 for two existing ships and two ships set to launch in 2011 and 2012. Also, Royal Caribbean is considering Port Canaveral as its home base starting next year for the world’s largest cruise ship, Freedom of the Seas, which holds 3,643 passengers and currently operates out of Miami.

COCOA BEACH

Ron Jon Surf Shop has opened a store on Grand Turk island in the Turks and Caicos, its second in the Caribbean.

MELBOURNE

» The Philippines has awarded Harris Corp. (NYSE-HRS) a $79.6-million contract to provide Falcon II tactical radios to its armed forces.Meanwhile, the company’s contract with the Census Bureau has increased from about $600 million to $1.3 billion, although the agency has scrapped plans to use Harris-made handheld devices in the 2010 survey.

» BRPH Cos., which provides services in architecture, engineering and construction, is creating a new, “green” headquarters in Melbourne.

ORLANDO

» With a $2.5-million grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Lynx bus system will become the nation’s first transit agency to create blended biodiesel fuel for operating its public buses. Orlando Utilities Commission and city vehicles also will use the blended fuel.

» A new Florida Hospital-Burnham Clinical Research Institute will conduct research on diabetes, obesity and the heart. It will be housed at Burnham’s temporary facility in downtown Orlando starting this fall.

» Orlando Regional Healthcare has announced plans to establish a heart transplant program at its flagship hospital, Orlando Regional Medical Center.

» Wyndham Hotels and Resorts has started construction on a 400-room luxury resort at Bonnet Creek, set to open in early 2010.

» The federal Transportation Security Administration has launched a trial program at Orlando International Airport that lets passengers select one of three types of security lanes based on level of expertise: Veteran fliers, casual travelers or those with small children or someone needing special assistance.

» Delta Air Lines is cutting the number of seats it flies to and from Orlando by almost 45% by this month — its largest cut nationwide. At the same time, JetBlue has announced plans to add gates and flights at OIA.

» The Army has ordered $172 million in Apache helicopter weapons targeting systems from Lockheed Martin’s Orlando missiles unit.

» Fairwinds Credit Union has announced a $25-million expansion plan that includes eight new branches.

» Mechanical Services of Central Florida, a mechanical mobile services company with about 350 employees and anticipated 2008 revenue of $48 million, has been acquired by Fortune 500 firm Emcor Group of Norwalk, Conn.

ST. CLOUD

Plans are under way for St. Cloud Medical Arts and Technology Park. The complex will include an imaging center, a surgical center, medical offices and space for a branch of the University of Central Florida’s Technology Incubator program, which fosters early-stage companies.

WINTER PARK

Barnie’s Coffee & Tea founder Philip Jones Jr. has teamed with Orlando developer Jim Pugh to buy back the chain from a private group and expand it.

Tags: Central