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Brightline Texas? Brightline examines expanding outside Florida

Brightline

As privately owned and run intercity passenger train Brightline begins service this weekend between Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, the company already is talking about providing similar service between Dallas and Houston, Atlanta and Charlotte, Chicago and St. Louis and other regions across the United States. Full story from Florida Trend, here.

Statewide association celebrates Florida's progress in biotech

BioFlorida's 15th annual gathering of biotech professionals, held May 10 in Alachua, shows that biopharma, medical technology and health IT industries are growing in the Sunshine State, according to BioFlorida CEO Nancy Bryan. More from the Jacksonville Business Journal.

Long-time Miami manufacturer has new owners. The company is moving - but not out of town.

For the first time in nearly 80 years, Miami's Fine Art Lamps is no longer a family business. But the new owners are related by all but blood. Long-time executives Rene Quintana and Laura Goldblum — who each have worked at the company for more than 20 years — have purchased the company from retiring chairman Max Blumberg for an undisclosed price. More from the Miami Herald.

Special election for sales tax increase could cost a million

A special election to consider a proposed sales tax increase in northeast Florida could cost voters as much as $1 million next year. Volusia County voters could vote to raise sales tax by a half cent, which would generate an estimated $45 million a year and would go toward roads, water quality and flood control. More from the AP.

Tampa Bay lands more validation as a rising star of the South

Last year, 19.6 million passengers landed at Tampa International Airport aboard one of 25 airlines that serve North America’s 29th busiest airport — clear confirmation the Tampa area has arrived as a metropolitan destination. But it is increasing corporate traffic at TIA’s two full-service fixed-based operators’ terminals — up 8.5% in 2017 — that signal the Tampa area has truly arrived as a major business destination. More from the Business Observer.

Small Business Success Story
How having a written plan pays off

 Billy Bishop was a pilot until a back injury took him out of the cockpit and back to his roots as an electrical contractor. Bishop launched a residential electrical services company — Top Flight Electric — with a partner-investor, who challenged him to write a business plan good enough to snag a loan. Only problem: Bishop knew nothing about how to run a business, let alone write a plan.

» More from Florida Trend.

 

Out of the Box
Ripley bringing oddities to downtown Orlando art show

florida A new exhibit in downtown Orlando is designed to demonstrate that Ripley’s is not only odd, it’s artistic, too. The “Odd Is Art” show, which debuts Thursday and runs through June 15, reaches into the famed Ripley archives for unusually presented art.

» Read more from Orlando Sentinel.