Wednesday’s Afternoon Update

Optimism on rebound in Florida for business owners

From middle-market companies to small businesses, owners are aiming to seize momentum and set growth plans in motion. In the Sunshine State, roughly one-third of business leaders are considering mergers and acquisition activity during 2026. “There’s a real sense of momentum across the middle market as business leaders prepare to set ambitious growth plans in motion,” said Melissa Smith, co-head of commercial banking at J.P. Morgan. “Companies are thinking creatively about how to position themselves for the future as they navigate complex macroeconomic factors.” More from the Jacksonville Business Journal.

Orange County hotel tax revenue up 9% for November

For the first November that Epic Universe has been open, Orange County’s hotel tax revenue jumped nearly 9% compared to the same time period in 2024, according to the latest figures. The 6% surcharge on hotel rooms and short-term stays generated about $34.5 million for November. “There was one more reason to be thankful in November. Tourist Development Tax (TDT) collections for November set another new record and were the highest collections ever recorded for the month” Orange County Comptroller Phil Diamond said in a press release. More from Florida Politics.

’Significant Industrial User’ of water exploring facility in Jacksonville

A “Significant Industrial User” is exploring about 300 acres at AllianceFlorida at Cecil Commerce Center for a manufacturing facility that would use an average of up to 600,000 gallons of water a day. City water and power provider JEA is reviewing a request submitted Dec. 22 and edited Jan. 5 to determine the availability of service for the unidentified project. Potential users of that size could be a bottling facility, a solar panel plant or similar uses that need large amounts of water, according to industry sources. More from the Jacksonville Daily Record.

Team seeks $8 million to make Miami Beach a Blue Zone

Miami Beach officials leading efforts to make the city a Blue Zone region where people live longer and healthier, and continue working to secure funding from sponsors, according to Commissioner Tanya Katzoff Bhatt, who spearheads the initiative. Approaching a Blue Zone designation usually involves encouraging healthy habits within a community by making healthy food and opportunities to move more available and accessible. More from Miami Today.

Tampa will no longer have a free bus route. What comes next?

Hillsborough County’s Route 1 bus line reached the highest ridership in Tampa Bay after it became free in 2025. But starting Monday, riders must return to paying a $2 one-way fare. The city of Tampa funded one year of free fares and increased weekday frequency last year, to the tune of $1.6 million. Route 1, a key bus line along Florida Avenue from downtown Tampa to the University of South Florida, gained about 2,000 daily riders as a result. More from the Tampa Bay Times.

Keeping a check on restrictive endorsements

Imagine this: you receive a check from a customer as payment for goods or services rendered. On the back, there’s an endorsement reading “payment in full.” You don’t compare it carefully against the outstanding balance - and the check turns out to be for less than what’s owed. You deposit it anyway. By doing so, you may have just forfeited your right to collect the remainder. [Sponsored report]

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