SPOTLIGHT
Add an ice skating rink to the list of changes relocating billionaires are bringing to Southeast Florida. Larry Robbins, CEO of Glenview Capital Management, a New Jersey transplant to Palm Beach Gardens, is addressing what he calls the city’s “only shortcoming” — a lack of ice skating facilities “to serve the growing base of passionate hockey players and figure skaters.”
Robbins, NFL legend Tucker Frederickson and NHL great Wayne Gretzky are supporting Michael Winter’s effort to build a skating facility in Palm Beach Gardens. Winter’s nonprofit Palm Beach North Athletic Foundation is partnering with the city on a $40-million facility, featuring two NHL rinks, that will open in 2026. The facility is for youth hockey, figure skating, public skating, adult leagues, curling and sled hockey. The facility will host Gretzky’s hockey school.
Robbins coached youth hockey for 18 years in New Jersey. He was captain of his University of Pennsylvania hockey team. New York media reports Robbins is making Palm Beach Gardens home just until he builds a new home in Hobe Sound.
ENVIRONMENT
- The state awarded a $1.3-million grant to Florida Atlantic University to study the feasibility of in-water harvesting of the brown seaweed Sargassum. Rotting Sargassum on the shore is bad for tourism, and removing it from beaches presents logistical and economic difficulties while the decomposing Sargassum releases ammonia stink. At present, in-water harvesting isn’t allowed because Sargassum is a ï¬sh and sea turtle habitat. The research is to show whether it’s better to remove the seaweed while it’s still in the water and how better to deal with it on beaches.
LAYOFFS
- Software procurement company Varis laid off 75 at its Boca Raton headquarters.
- United Natural Foods will lay off 87 truck drivers and support personnel in Pompano Beach.
TRANSPORTATION
- Israeli airline El Al launched year-round service from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport to Tel Aviv.
INSURANCE
- A Boca Raton-based management company changed its name to Windward Risk Managers and launched Ovation Home Insurance Exchange, a subscriber- association home insurer. Windward will handle day-to-day management — sales, service and claims support — for Ovation as it already has done for 20 years for Florida Peninsula and Edison Insurance. Ovation says it will sell through Windward’s agent network and also wants to take policies from state-subsidized Citizens Property. Ovation is the eighth property and casualty insurer to launch in Florida since the state Legislature changed Florida insurance law to encourage more insurers, competition and stable rates.
RECREATION
- The Fort Lauderdale Downtown Development Authority and Huizenga Park Foundation broke ground on the redevelopment of Huizenga Park, a Las Olas downtown landmark named for the deceased billionaire.
REAL ESTATE
- Palm Beach Gardens approved plans by developer Eduardo de Guardiola and his Atlanta-based Vista Residential Partners to build a 221-unit rental project at Central Boulevard and Victoria Falls Boulevard. Of the total, 22 units will be workforce-priced and the rest will be market-rate.
RETAIL
- Palm Beach Gardens-based tire company TBC appointed Don Byrd president and CEO, replacing Sam Kato, who returns to Sumitomo, a TBC shareholder. Kato was part of the Sumitomo team that formed a joint venture with Michelin North America to create TBC. Byrd was TBC’s chief strategy and marketing officer.