Florida Trend Exclusive
Defying a downturn
Florida’s commercial real estate market — healing from a COVID-19-induced slump — has turned into a game of ‘haves and have-nots.’ Southeast Florida posted the tightest vacancy rates, below 5%, in 3Q 2025. Jacksonville recorded the highest rate at 6.4%, the third highest among major U.S. markets. Vacancy fell by at least 100 basis points year over year in every Florida market except Miami, where vacancy declined by 10 basis points. More from Florida Trend.
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» Q&A with Ryan Nee
New business hall in West Palm Beach opens its doors
Palm Beach Atlantic University opened a new $75 million business school building in downtown West Palm Beach. The Marshall and Vera Lea Rinker Business Hall was funded in part by a record $26 million donation from the Rinker family. The university is experiencing a surge in applications and enrollment, coinciding with the growth of the "Wall Street South" business hub. More from the Palm Beach Post.
War-driven fuel price spikes could hinder Spirit Airlines’ finances, business outlook
Spirit Airlines, which hopes to exit Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings early this summer, has acknowledged that spiking fuel prices driven by war in the Middle East could well hamper its business prospects. In a recent disclosure statement filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York, management listed the rising price of fuel as one of the more prominent risks confronting the company as it prepares a new life as a smaller airline with a lighter debt load. More from the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Global aeronautics manufacturer expands Manatee facility
Safran Electrical & Power, a division of the global aerospace, aeronautical and defense manufacturer Safran, has completed an expansion of its existing South Manatee County operation. Among the components it produces are electrical power generation systems, conversion and protection components and aircraft emergency systems. It also offers maintenance for electrical generators, power electronics and lithium battery systems and is equipped with enhanced engineering and service infrastructure. More from the Business Observer.
MegaCon Orlando transforms into pop culture destination with $405M impact
After a year of planning, it takes just two days to transform the spaces needed to host more than 160,000 people for MegaCon Orlando — the four-day pop culture convention beginning Thursday. The event returns to the Orange County Convention Center from March 19 to 22 and features celebrity meet-and-greets, unique retailers, interactive experiences, panels, cosplay competitions and more. More from the Orlando Business Journal.
Health Care Trends
Tampa General patients experience nautical therapy
On Monday, rehab therapy patients at Tampa General Hospital experienced an on-the-water excursion via a 60-foot custom-built and wheelchair-accessible catamaran. The Impossible Dream is a nonprofit dedicated to providing the sailing experience to people with disabilities at no cost. The Impossible Dream hosts sailing events for more than 1,000 participants each year in 20-plus cities around the country.
» More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Entertainment
New TV show based on a Hiaasen book spotlights Fort Lauderdale’s ‘brand of weird’
When Carl Hiaasen wrote “Double Whammy,” his 1987 satirical crime novel about bass fishing competitions, corrupt televangelists and murder, he figured his book was too wacky — perhaps too Florida — to get published. Decades later, Hiaasen was hit with another pleasant surprise when an ABC executive told him she wanted to turn that book into a prime-time TV show.
» Read more from the Miami Herald.