Jobless claims down, but Spirit layoffs loom
Florida saw its number of jobless claims fall for a third consecutive week, but it remains to be seen if that will continue as the Dania Beach-based Spirit Airlines ceased operations as the week ended. The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday estimated 5,400 first-time unemployment claims were filed in Florida last week, down from a revised count of 5,587 the week ending April 25 and 5,659 the week ending April 18. The figures show little change in the weekly count since the start of the year. [Source: News Service of Florida]
Business Beat - Week of May 8th
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The end of Alligator Alcatraz? DeSantis says it ‘would be great’ to shut it down
Gov. Ron DeSantis is now backing plans to shutter Florida’s state-run immigration detention facility in the Everglades, 10 months after the state opened it and after spending hundreds of millions of dollars on its construction and operation. He told reporters in Lakeland Thursday that “it would be great for us to break that facility down,” following a New York Times report that the Department of Homeland Security and state officials were considering closing Alligator Alcatraz. [Source: Miami Herald]
Florida highlights cattle industry during National Beef Month
May is National Beef Month, and Florida is celebrating its cattle industry with insights from a local rancher and a dietitian. Registered dietitian nutritionist Gisela Bouvier explained the significance of beef in Florida agriculture. "Florida actually ranks ninth in the nation for cow-calf production," Bouvier said. "Beef isn’t just a big deal nutritionally — it’s our top-grossing agricultural commodity in the state. It’s a major driver for a lot of hardworking Florida families." [Source: Gulf Coast News Now]
A secret directive is testing one of Florida’s strongest traditions: open government
A new directive from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, issued in secrecy, bars local law enforcement agencies across Florida from answering questions about their role in immigration enforcement, raising concerns about transparency and whether public records are being lawfully observed. The directive runs counter to Florida’s long tradition that records are assumed to be public unless specifically shielded, although legislatures have carved a slew of exclusions into that law over the years. [Source: WGCU]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Broward commissioner eyes Spirit HQ in Dania Beach for new county government building
With the sting of Spirit Airlines’ abrupt shutdown still fresh, one Broward commissioner is looking to the carrier’s headquarters as an opportunity for local government. County Commissioner Michael Udine has placed an item on next week’s budget workshop agenda to consider a liquidation sale purchase of Spirit headquarters, an 11-acre site off Interstate 95 in Dania Beach. The Broward County Commission is deep into considering a move from its current administration building.
› Orlando outpaces peers in women-owned firms
Orlando ranks among the top 10 U.S. markets for women entrepreneurs. Business leaders said the region’s mix of industry, diversity, education pipelines and collaborative networks is helping more women move into leadership roles. Women in Florida working full-time positions made 87% of the median usual earnings of their male counterparts in identical roles.
› Tampa Bay among national leaders in coworking space growth
The U.S. coworking market has continued to grow at a steady clip in the first quarter of 2026, a new study shows. But for the first time in several years, growth in the Tampa Bay area has outpaced the national average — making the region one of the fastest growing coworking markets in the country. Coworking continues to fill a growing share of the local office market, with shared space now accounting for 2.5% of the total office square footage in the region.
› Proposed legislation would allow private firms to take on role of Jacksonville city planners for plan approvals
Private firms could take the place of Jacksonville’s Planning Department in reviewing site plans for potential development under a proposal before City Council. Ordinance 2025-0363, proposed by Council member Rory Diamond, would allow professionally licensed individuals in the private sector to review site plans. The bill would align Jacksonville’s ordinance code with Florida statute Section 553.791.
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› Cape Coral approves $210M for utility expansion
Cape Coral is set to borrow $210 million to pay for water and sewer infrastructure in a northeast section of the city. During public hearings at a City Council meeting May 6, councilors unanimously approved separate motions authorizing staff to issue $110 million in bonds for the latest phase of the city’s Utility Extension Project, or UEP, and $100 million for related water and sewer infrastructure. The UEP extends potable water, wastewater and irrigation water utilities throughout more than a dozen areas of the city and removes residents from outdated septic systems.
› Rail Yard District Business Council explores Business Improvement transition to transform into commercial hub
For more than a century, the Rail Yard District helped move Jacksonville’s goods. Now, its business owners are trying to move the district itself. Spread across 4.5 square miles west of downtown, the historic industrial area is home to some of the city’s oldest businesses, from the Jacksonville Farmers Market to Standard Feed Store, while newer arrivals like Myrtle Avenue Brewing, Firewalker Beverages and the Dennis + Ives adaptive reuse project are beginning to reshape how the area is seen. But visibility, infrastructure and momentum remain challenges for a district that many commuters pass without noticing.
› HistoryMiami rebrands as Museum of Miami, a ‘museum without walls’
Ana of Coral Gables recalled when a reporter wrote about her father, a Cuban political prisoner. The next day, her restaurant was full of former political prisoners. Adrian of Coconut Grove has a trilingual mother and a monolingual father. He translates for his dad at family gatherings. Catherine of Liberty City told her son they live in Miami. “I like your-ami,” he said. “No baby... it’s ours,” she replied. These are the real names, faces and stories launching the rebranding campaign for the Museum of Miami, the downtown museum formerly known as HistoryMiami.
› Controversial downtown Sarasota condo tower rejected again by city
For the second time in roughly a year, the Sarasota City Commission rejected a proposed site plan for a controversial downtown skyscraper on North Palm Avenue on a 4-1 vote. The May 4 vote by the commission included City Commissioner Liz Alpert as the only dissenting vote in a motion rejecting a mediated settlement agreement for the Obsidian, a proposed 18-story, 14-unit luxury residence. That decision mirrored a 4-1 vote on May 13, 2025, siding with neighbors’ appeal of a staff recommendation to allow the building.