Fine Arts

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SPOTLIGHT

An international center for the arts is coming to Naples. Theater in the Garden, a multipurpose space featuring a 900-seat indoor theater and outside amphitheater in a landscaped setting, will be the first location of the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation outside of Italy.

In addition to the two theaters, the property will house an International Voice Academy, museum and restaurant. The museum will feature memorabilia from Pavarotti’s career as well as collectibles, memorabilia and collaborations with artists such as Sting and U2.

The space, estimated to cost $25-30 million, also will host the Luciano Pavarotti International Voice Competition and be accessible to local performing arts groups.

Nicoletta Pavarotti, president of the foundation and widow of the world-famous tenor, highlighted the similarities between Naples and her native Italy in an announcement of the center. “The city has much in common with many of those in our homeland. Naples has vigorously embraced and encouraged the performing and visual arts from its inception a hundred years ago, wisely seeing them as the bedrock of a cultivated and envied civilization.”

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

• Karen Holbrook, regional chancellor of the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, has been appointed chair of the Bradenton Area Economic Development Committee. Holbrook and the EDC are looking to develop the region’s aviation workforce to support growth at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. The Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce named Robert Goltz president and CEO. Jay Johnson, chair of the chamber’s board, served as interim CEO after Brian Hamman vacated the position in August. Goltz has served in many chamber roles, most recently as executive vice president of the Greater Key West Chamber of Commerce.

AGRICULTURE

• The Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and the Blue Zones Project Southwest Florida have partnered to create SWFL Fresh branding to identify locally grown products. The goal of the label is to increase visibility of local growers and help elevate the connection of consumers with their food.

DEVELOPMENT

• Collier County commissioners approved plans for the redevelopment of Golden Gate Golf Course in East Naples. Arthrex plans to transform the 115-acre site into an affordable, public course with nine holes, a driving range, a restaurant and space for the headquarters of First Tee, a non-profit that teaches youth how to play golf.
• PulteGroup plans to build 1,300 single-family homes on 724 acres in Lakewood Ranch. The 55-plus community, dubbed Del Webb Catalina, touts resort-like living with pickleball, tennis and bocce courts, a heated pool with poolside cabanas, a restaurant and bar, and other amenities.

ENVIRONMENT

• Manatee County purchased the Crooked River Ranch for $11.2 million. The 68 acres along the Manatee River will be set aside for preservation and recreation.
• The USF College of Marine Science received a $3.2-million federal grant to support the college and its partners in developing better forecasting of Sargassum blooms. Record amounts of the brown seaweed have inundated the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and Florida coastlines in recent years.

FINANCE

• St. Petersburg-based PSCU and California-based Co-op Solutions, both longtime credit union and fintech solution providers, have merged under the PSCU banner. Charles “Chuck” Fagan, president and CEO of PSCU, will be CEO of the combined organization, which will be headquartered in St. Petersburg.

HEALTH CARE

• Tampa General Hospital has acquired three hospitals —120-bed Bravera Health Brooksville, 124-bed Bravera Health Spring Hill and 128-bed Bravera Health Seven Rivers — from Community Health Systems.
• HCA Florida Blake Hospital broke ground on a freestanding emergency room in Bradenton. The 11,500-sq.-ft. facility is slated to open this summer.

INFRASTRUCTURE

• The city of Fort Myers is investing $150 million in a five-year project to expand two advanced wastewater treatment facilities. The goal is to eliminate effluent discharge from the plants into the neighboring Caloosahatchee River to combat harmful algae blooms.
• The Tampa Water Department is implementing a technology called “SIX,” or Suspended Ion Exchange, into its facilities. The technology will reduce the amount of chemicals needed to treat drinking water and target “forever chemicals” known as polyfluoroalkyl substances.
• Pinellas County Animal Services in Largo is undergoing a $3.5-million renovation — its first revamp since opening in 1995 — that will replace its kennels, add air conditioning to the kennel areas, and add doors, windows and a roof able to withstand a Category 4 hurricane.

MANUFACTURING

• Advanced Drainage Systems, an Ohio-based company that specializes in stormwater and septic wastewater management solutions, will build a pipe manufacturing facility in Lake Wales. It currently has facilities in Sebring and Winter Garden.

NON-PROFITS

• The city of St. Petersburg and St. Pete Free Clinic opened the first FRESH Pace Healthy Neighborhood Store concept using American Rescue Plan Act funds to address food insecurity in the area. The store, located in Rajax Food Mart & Meat Mart, provides healthy options for families in south St. Petersburg.

TRANSPORTATION

• Allegiant airline announced 12 nonstop routes — including a route between Punta Gorda Airport and Dulles International Airport on the outskirts of Washington, D.C. — beginning in May. One-way fares start at $59.

Tags: Southwest, Arts & Entertainment, Feature