Deal to keep Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg hinges on Tuesday's vote
Another crucial vote on the future of the Tampa Bay Rays is coming up Tuesday. Pinellas County commissioners will vote on whether to issue up to $335 million in bonds. The bonds will be paid off with bed taxes levied on hotel stays. Commissioners deferred the vote twice after two hurricanes damaged beach communities. But two new commissioners have said they oppose the deal, so one board member would have to flip their previous vote for the current deal to stay on track. [Source: WUSF]
An inspection deadline for Florida condo buildings is fast approaching
A deadline for Florida condominium inspections is quickly approaching. After the collapse of the Champlain Towers South condo building in Surfside, Florida in 2021, lawmakers passed a series of new regulations for condo buildings. One of those requires most condo buildings to get a visual structural inspection by Dec. 31. Florida law requires condo associations existing on or before July 1, 2022, to complete a structural integrity reserve study defined by Florida law as “a study of the reserve funds required for future major repairs and replacement of the common elements based on a visual inspection of the common elements,” by Dec. 31, 2024. [Source: WFSU]
Sarasota arts leaders hope DeSantis’ veto of arts funding is a one-time thing
Without much fanfare, Gov. Ron DeSantis stunned members of the arts community and their supporters up and down the Sunshine State in June when he stripped all $32 million in state arts funding from the 2025 fiscal year budget. Six months later, some of those in the arts community in Sarasota still haven’t gotten over it, and hope it never happens again. “Last year was the first year since funding began that the arts were zeroed out. Even during the great recession and the pandemic, our state saw the value in providing support for the arts. It was good business,” said Joseph McKenna, president and CEO of the Sarasota Orchestra, speaking during a Sarasota County legislative delegation meeting on Monday. [Source: Florida Phoenix]
Why Trulieve's CEO says the $140M campaign for legalization wasn’t a waste
The passage of Amendment 3 would have made Florida among the largest and most lucrative adult-use cannabis markets in the U.S., and it would have opened the floodgates for Trulieve. The Sunshine State is a cornerstone market for the multistate cannabis operator. It's by far the largest producer and retailer in Florida with nearly 160 retail locations and six production facilities, including a 750,000-square-foot cultivation site that opened in Jefferson County in early 2023. [Source: Tampa Bay Business Journal]
How a hurricane and climate change may impact your future Christmas tree buys in Florida
Having escaped the devastating flooding and winds Hurricane Helene unleashed in North Carolina, dozens of Fraser firs, the “Cadillac of Christmas trees,” perfume the Hayes Farms Christmas tree lot in Fort Lauderdale. Many other trees, however, weren’t so fortunate. “Our trees are grown near Boone at an elevation of 4,000 feet, just above where the flooding was,” said Triston Cole, who manages the premium tree lot at the corner of State Road 84 and Southwest Nine Ave, one of six places where Hayes Farm has set up its tree lots for years in South Florida. [Source: Miami Herald]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› After initial doubts, UF found a willing partner in Mayor Donna Deegan for new campus
The first time UF board Chairman Mori Hosseini met with Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan about bringing a new graduate campus to downtown, he entered the meeting thinking it might be the last time they would talk about it.
› Disney Treasure arrival to Port Canaveral marks sea change for Disney Cruise Line
The Disney Treasure cruise ship’s arrival to Florida is something Disney Cruise Line is used to — the second ship of a new class preparing for its maiden voyage.
› Girl Scouts report shows young women in Florida still face substantial obstacles
Girl Scouts of Florida issued the organization’s “2024 State of the Florida Girl Report,” showing that young women in the state have made some substantial progress. But challenges for girls remain significant.
› Blue Origin's New Glenn poised to compete with SpaceX, disrupt heavy-lift rocket market
Blue Origin crews have moved the company's first-ever, enormous New Glenn rocket onto the launch pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station for preflight testing. Towering taller than a football field, this huge rocket is clearly visible on the horizon from the sand in downtown Cocoa Beach.
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› Florida Department of Agriculture breaks ground on HOK-designed building
The Tallahassee facility will accommodate more than 900 employees and is expected to save the department $70 million over 30 years.
› 'Spec' house sale in Mar-a-Lago's security zone tops $14 million in Palm Beach
Developed on speculation, the house at 130 Algoma Road is three streets north of President-elect Donald Trump's private club and residence.
› Florida spa owners say there's a delay in massage business licensing -- and it's affecting revenue
A Jacksonville spa owner submitted his application to the Florida Department of Health in November. One month later, he says he was still waiting for a response.
› Grover Corlew lands $114M for Florida community
Grover Corlew has obtained $114.4 million in refinancing for Mayla Pompano, a 355-unit luxury multifamily property in Pompano Beach, Fla., a Fort Lauderdale submarket. Fannie Mae provided the loan, while PNC Financial Services Group facilitated the deal.