How much are people willing to spend at Florida theme parks? More every year

Prices keep rising and so does attendance. Theme parks had attendance of more than a half-billion visits for the first time in history. Every theme park in Florida saw a spike in attendance last year. Busch Gardens, the 11th most visited theme park in North America, had a 4.5 percent increase in attendance by some 4 million visitors. Walt Disney World retained its crown as the world’s busiest tourist attraction, with its four parks among the top-attended in the world. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Florida Cabinet meets in Israel under media objection

Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet met in Israel on Wednesday, waving away complaints that the setting was illegal. They presented a proclamation of support for Israel and heard from Israelis on several issues important to Florida. More from the AP and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

See also:
» Florida, Israeli Chambers of Commerce sign memorandum of understanding

Hurricane tax holiday starts Friday, one day ahead of hurricane season

A little nudging for storm prep shouldn’t be necessary after Hurricane Matthew battered Florida’s east coast in 2016, Irma essentially drenched the entire state in 2017, and Michael ground up a chunk of the Panhandle last year. Still, Floridians will have seven days to build a hurricane-season stockpile — including batteries, flashlights and radios — free of sales taxes, beginning Friday. More from CBS Miami, the Orlando Sentinel, and the Pensacola News-Journal

Opinion: As population booms, Florida must prioritize flood mitigation investments

Last month, the U.S. Census Bureau confirmed what so many Floridians already know — the population of the Sunshine State is booming. Estimates released by the Census Bureau show that in 2018, Florida’s population grew by more than 322,000 people, bringing our total population to nearly 21.3 million. These numbers underline a growing crisis when you consider that too many Floridians are already living in potentially dangerous and flood-prone areas. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

Hepatitis A cases continue escalating throughout Florida

With cases popping up in various parts of the state, Florida had 92 cases of hepatitis A reported last week --- bringing the total this year to 1,312, according to information posted on the state Department of Health website. [Source: WOFL]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Tampa airport in the market for $3 million in public art [Tampa Bay Times]
As part of its continuing $2 billion expansion, Tampa International Airport is about to go shopping for more public art, and its budget is $3.1 million. Airport officials are in the market for nine new pieces of public art, with commissions ranging from a little under $100,000 to $520,000.

› Orlando computer-security company sues, claiming blackmail, theft of trade secrets [Orlando Sentinel]
An Orlando company’s lawsuit against a competitor reads like a case of cyber espionage, with one firm accusing another of blackmail using confidential information obtained illegally and demanding that it coerce a third party to take down a negative YouTube video.

› Miami International Airport due billions in upgrades [Miami Today]
Up to $5 billion in improvements at Miami-Dade’s five airports are a vote away, with lawmakers to decide Tuesday if they’ll OK funds and first plans focusing on Miami International Airport (MIA). The 15-year, $4 billion to $5 billion program is meant to meet needs through “2035 and beyond,” a memo from Mayor Carlos Giménez said.

› Economy ‘going gangbusters’ as Seminole, Lake show big increases in tax roll [Orlando Sentinel]
A red-hot economy that shows little sign of cooling, along with a growing number of new residents looking for increasingly scarce places to live, is credited for boosting Seminole County’s tax roll to a record amount, Property Appraiser David Johnson said Tuesday.

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› Four new businesses announced at Lakewood Ranch entertainment hub [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
Lakewood Ranch developers have announced that an Asian restaurant, a hair salon, nail salon and law firm are joining the new Waterside Place development when it opens next year. The new businesses will join Foundation Coffee Co., The Yoga Shack, restaurant SoFresh and sweets store Kilwins, which were announced in February.

› A California coffee, tea and juice bar to open early next year in Tampa's Westshore Marina District [Tampa Bay Times]
Westshore Marina District has signed its second retail tenant — a juice bar with the unusual name DRNK coffee + tea and QWENCH juice bar. The company, making its first move into Florida, is leasing 1,200 square feet in the retail-and-restaurant area of the marina district and expects to open the store early next year.

› Largest floating obstacle course on East Coast is coming to South Florida [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Sports enthusiasts looking for a challenge can exercise on an obstacle course or wakeboard connected to cables, no boat needed, at a new Palm Beach County water park. Shark Wake Park 561, set to open on June 15 inside Okeeheelee Park near West Palm Beach, replaces a temporary park that had opened last summer.

› Miami seeks law firm to cut deal with David Beckham group [Miami Today]
Miami commissioners will let City Attorney Victoria Mendez pick a law firm to advise on a Melreese Golf Course lease to the David Beckham group. Commissioners on May 23 were debating which of 16 applicants to use as consultants.