Thursday’s Afternoon Update

Is space tourism finally ready for takeoff?

Delays and rising prices have made the promise of space travel for ordinary people more elusive than ever. But some experts predict that a plethora of tourist experiences will become available in the coming years — orbital hotels, research labs, lunar missions. Others predict that as more entities begin operating in space, a more crowded ecosystem will bring new challenges, including how countries and companies will coexist there. More from the New York Times.

UF-BOG dispute could cost millions if housing project delayed

The Board of Governors’ governance dispute with the University of Florida has stalled more than just the confirmation of the university’s next president. It has also halted financing for a major student housing project, and the delay could cost the university tens of millions of dollars. The project —a multi-phase housing plan — aims to increase on-campus housing by over 2,200 beds by 2029. It is the largest housing development project in the university’s history, trustee David Brandon said during a June 22 meeting. More from the Gainesville Sun.

World Cup's economic boost varies among Miami businesses

South Florida governments shelled out about $53 million to land and organize Miami's World Cup matches, expecting the local economy would see a major return on that investment via tourism and job creation. Some economists argued economic projections were "wildly exaggerated" and that large companies — including FIFA — would be the chief recipients of increased spending, not local businesses. More from Axios.

Manatee County OKs new Piney Point contract after $23 million budget shortfall

After reporting a $23 million reimbursement shortfall from the state of Florida, commissioners agreed to continue Manatee County’s role in the cleanup of Piney Point without committing additional county funds. Earlier this month, the board debated whether to continue operating a treatment plant and injection well that handles contaminated water from the former phosphate plant near Port Manatee and Tampa Bay. A major spill at the contaminated site threatened an environmental disaster in 2021, prompting the state to close the site for good. More from the Tampa Bay Times.

Orlando Health to build full-service hospital at Tupperware campus

When Orlando Health bought the undeveloped land around its free-standing emergency room across from the Tupperware SunRail station in 2019, it was a given the company would eventually expand the health care offerings to include an acute care hospital. Now those plans are moving closer to reality. Last week, the company filed construction plans for a 480,782-square-foot hospital with an eight-story patient tower connected to the existing facility, to be built in two phases. More from the Orlando Sentinel.

Is your Florida business a cybercriminal’s next target?

Rapid technological innovation, from robust cloud infrastructure to generative Artificial Intelligence and machine learning has transformed how organizations operate. While these tools drive speed and efficiency, they must be implemented with an intentional strategy and strong safeguards to manage growing cyber risk. [Sponsored report]