Florida businesses stand to receive portion of $130 billion in tariff refunds
The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the sweeping tariffs President Donald Trump imposed in a series of executive orders, but what happens to the more than $130 billion in import taxes collected? "It's a lot of money, and there's hundreds of thousands of U.S. companies that will receive the money that they've already paid," said Peter Quinter, the chair of the U.S. customs and international trade law group at Gunster law firm. More from WPBF and Seafood Source.
Florida’s still reinventing spring break
Some of Florida’s hottest destinations are still retooling and reinventing their spring break cultures, betting they can find the balance between boosting business and leaving raucous partying behind. After years of clamping down on unruly visitors, Miami Beach is pivoting to a more welcoming, splashy “Wake up to a New March” campaign geared toward wellness. Officials, however, are still making it clear the wild party days are over and never coming back. [Source: Politico]
Data center bill clears first hurdle amid concerns over costs, job creation
Legislation putting new restrictions on large-scale data centers, major plank of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ push to put guardrails on artificial intelligence, cleared its first House committee on Tuesday. The State Affairs Committee voted 24-1 on the measure (HB 1007) that in part addresses key issues such as electricity and water use needed to maintain the data centers. With less than three weeks remaining in the regular session and the bill slated to appear before two more committees, Panama City Beach Republican Rep. Griff Griffitts said his proposal isn’t intended to shut down data centers. [Source: News Service of Florida]
Courts have their eyes on artificial intelligence
If you have clients who you represent in court in South Florida – and you use or might consider using AI to help prepare documents for the record – you need to be aware of two administrative orders issued in January. Circuit courts in Broward and Miami-Dade counties are now requiring lawyers and litigants who represent themselves in court to disclose whether documents submitted to the court are AI-generated and to certify their accuracy. [Source: Jacksonville Daily Record]
Report says electrification will boost Florida ports
Florida’s 16 seaports can benefit from modernizing and electrifying their infrastructure, a movement “critical to maintaining Florida’s position as the world’s 15th largest economy and keeping the state competitive on a global stage,” according to a new report by the Environmental Defense Fund and consultants AECOM. Florida has the world’s three busiest cruise ports along its Atlantic coast and altogether the ports generate more than $117 billion in economic activity and around 13% of Florida’s annual gross domestic product. [Source: Work Boat]
Nicklaus Children’s Heart Institute
Nicklaus Children’s Hospital’s Heart Institute provides specialized care for children and young adults with congenital and acquired heart conditions. The Institute offers medical management, interventional cardiology, and advanced pediatric cardiac surgery supported by comprehensive imaging, intensive care, and coordinated specialty services. Families benefit from a collaborative, family-centered model designed to support patients at every stage of their cardiac journey. [Sponsored report]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Brevard County rejects sales tax hike, infrastructure funding uncertain
Brevard County commissioners rejected raising sales taxes by a half-cent in order to pay for critical infrastructure needs. Now the county will have to search for alternative revenue streams or cut spending in other areas. This comes as local leaders have expressed uncertainty about the future of funding local government, citing Gov. Ron DeSantis' legislative ambition of doing away with property taxes.
› Rival Tampa Bay developers go to court over construction delays
Two influential local developers are going head-to-head in court over construction delays at projects they partnered on in St. Petersburg. Backstreets Capital and a related limited liability company filed separate lawsuits in Pinellas County Circuit Court this month against Ellison Development and Ellison Construction. Backstreets is led by Will Conroy. Ellison Development and Ellison Construction are led by Casey Ellison.
› ‘Spring break of the past is gone’: Miami Beach leaders outline plan for March
Miami Beach leaders gathered Tuesday to send a unified message about the upcoming spring break season: yes, the city is relaxing some of its strictest rules and restrictions from recent years, but no, the party is not back on. Speaking at Miami Beach Police Department headquarters in South Beach, Police Chief Wayne Jones said the city has “divorced spring break.” “Spring break of the past is gone. We will never, ever go back there,” Jones said. “This is a new era for this police department and for the city.”
› Edgemoor and Hines compete to develop UF grad campus in Jacksonville
Two firms, Edgemoor Infrastructure and Real Estate and Hines Interests Limited Partnership, are finalists to design the new University of Florida graduate campus in Jacksonville. The new campus will feature two buildings totaling 225,000 square feet, including the Florida Semiconductor Institute. The final selection of the development firm will be made by UF Board Chair Mori Hosseini to expedite the process.
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› Breeze adding eight cities from Fort Lauderdale, including Tallahassee, Jacksonville
Discount airline Breeze Airways will soon become the latest airline to take a crack at serving Tallahassee from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport as part of a move designed to broaden its Florida service out of Broward County. The Utah-based carrier announced Tuesday it will start serving Florida’s capital city in July. Besides Tallahassee, the new in-state service includes Jacksonville and Tampa. The airline also intends to expand existing service to Pensacola.
› First Watch CFO, who guided $1.2B company's IPO, to retire
First Watch Chief Financial Officer Mel Hope will retire from the East Manatee County-based daytime dining company, where he has worked for nearly eight years. His retirement will take place later this year. Hope's career has spanned more than 40 years. He joined First Watch in 2018, after serving as CFO of Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen. In addition, he was a partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers and was an executive with several privately-owned organizations and startup ventures, according to a statement.
› Sporting JAX hires real estate veteran to lead stadium district development plans
Sporting Club Jacksonville is bringing on a veteran of some of the nation’s most complex and high-profile real estate projects as it advances plans for a purpose-built stadium district in Northeast Florida. Sporting JAX announced that Michael McNaughton, a nationally recognized real estate executive with more than 30 years of experience in large-scale development and mixed-use placemaking, has been named president of the Sporting JAX Development Company.
› Pompano Beach to weigh whether to cut off Broward Sheriff’s Office
With an estimated population of 118,000, Pompano Beach is the largest city under contract with the Sheriff’s Office. It jettisoned its own police department in 1999 but has maintained its own fire rescue service. Last year, when Sheriff Gregory Tony pitched an annual contract increase of 16%, Pompano responded by commissioning a report on the cost of independence.