Florida Trend | Florida's Business Authority

Central Florida and Space Coast Business Briefs - March 2008

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS —
» Seminole Community College has opened a $33-million campus to house its expanded nursing program and other health programs, as well as arts and sciences classes. The nursing program is one of few nationwide where students in a pilot program are using video iPods for lectures, study materials and lab work.

MELBOURNE —
» Harris Corp. (NYSE: HRS) has donated $5 million to establish a computer security research center at Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne.

ORLANDO —
» South Florida-based Skyrise Development Group and World Trade Center Development Corp.-Orlando have received approval to build World Trade Center Orlando, a $200-million, two-tower project along Lake Ivanhoe with 500,000 square feet of commercial space. The international commerce center is an affiliate of the World Trade Centers Association, with sites in 289 cities and 85 countries worldwide.

» Netherlands-based bank SNS Property Finance has foreclosed on Euro American Advisors’ 34-story 55 West on the Esplanade condominium building on Church Street and has hired Grosse Pointe Development of Fort Myers to finish the project.

» Florida Hospital has opened a Global Robotics Institute on its campus in Celebration, home of the Nicholson Center for Surgical Advancement. The institute specializes in minimally invasive surgery and is led by Dr. Vipul Patel, who brought his 10-member surgical team to Orlando from Columbus, Ohio.

» Orlando-based human resources services company CoAdvantage has acquired Nelco of Bradenton and PlanSource of Salt Lake City, pushing 2008 projected revenue to more than $110 million.

» Los Angeles-based House of Moves has opened its planned film, video and audio studio in the Downtown Orlando Creative Village, which is anchored by the University of Central Florida’s School of Film and the Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy. The company is owned by Vicon Entertainment and has worked on Titanic, The Polar Express and Spider-Man.

» AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings (NYSE-AAI), is building a $4.7-million command center at Orlando International Airport to replace a facility damaged by Hurricane Charley in 2004.

» Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede dinner theater abruptly closed in January after Chelsea Property Group, owner of neighboring Orlando Premium Outlets, made an offer to buy the property.

» Dublin-based Feltrim Developments has finished construction on the last of nine buildings planned for the $100-million Tuscana Resort at ChampionsGate.

VOLUSIA COUNTY —
» EdgeWater Power Boats has decided to stay in Edgewater after considering a move to another state. Volusia County offered incentives that include tax-exempt industrial revenue bonds for a new location and tax refunds that hinge on performance, such as job creation. The company employs 98 and is expected to add 53 in the next three years.