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Thursday's Afternoon Update

Will Walt Disney World leave Florida if Reedy Creek is dissolved? There are offers

The short answer to whether Disney pulls up stakes and bolts the state: The company could. But would it? That's highly unlikely. There’s way too much invested in the Sunshine State. All of the logistical nightmares to move an operation of Walt Disney World’s size out of Florida has not stopped some other states from offering the company space to relocate. More from the Miami Herald.

National moving company PODS names Sarasota top location for moves in United States

National moving company PODS has put Sarasota at the top of its rating of the country's most desirable locations. Sarasota had the highest ratio of move-ins verses move-outs of PODS customers from January 2021 to March 2022, beating out Dallas-Fort Worth, Nashville and Tampa, according to a news release on the PODS data. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

DeSantis vetoes net metering bill decried by solar power advocates

Taking on another state corporate giant, Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed a controversial net metering bill Wednesday that critics said would have favored utility giant Florida Power & Light at the expense of the fledgling rooftop solar industry. Noting the bill would have authorized investor-owned utilities to charge customers for lost revenue caused by residential solar power generation in the midst of steep inflation nationally, DeSantis said in his veto letter that the state “should not contribute to the financial crunch that our citizens are facing.” More from the Orlando Sentinel.

Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix expected to generate more money for South Florida than a Super Bowl

South Florida is booming with business and the Miami Grand Prix is only adding fuel to the fire. About 300,000 people from all over the world are expected in town and organizers say some of them will start arriving by the end of the week. Visit Lauderdale is gearing up for the race with scheduled events starting next week. They’re expecting Formula 1 to bring in at least $50,000,000 to Broward County. More from CBS Miami.

As Tampa Bay chases corporate relocations, these are the region’s strengths

The corporate relocation world sees Tampa Bay as a low-cost destination with a high quality of life. The rising cost of housing, though, is looking like a problem. And so is the local workforce’s relative lack of advanced degrees. These are among the findings of a new study commissioned by and presented to the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council. More from the Tampa Bay Times.

Redevelopment
From dump to movie studio? Fort Lauderdale working on that script

 The old Wingate incinerator site, a long vacant parcel with an infamous past, might finally have a well-heeled, name-in-lights suitor in the form of a movie studio. A former Superfund site, the city-owned land was once home to a municipal incinerator that left soil and water contaminated with a toxic brew. The 61-acre parcel was cleaned up two decades ago, but has failed to draw any development interest — until now.

» More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

 

Out of the Box
A retirement home at the zoo? This Florida attraction just made space for the older set

floridaWe doubt there are shuffleboard games, mashed potatoes or Geritol, but life is good for older animals at the Brevard Zoo in Melbourne, Florida. The popular attraction is creating a “retirement” home for critters to live out their golden years in relaxation and comfort.

» Read more from the Miami Herald.