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Orlando Business Journal
Announcing Orlando's 2024 Most Influential Leaders
Orlando Business Journal is bringing you the first rendition of our awards program identifying 49 people on contributions to their business's success, community involvement and industry leadership.<\p> These Central Florida executives use their cachet to help better the region and the business community for all.<\p>
National Airlines orders new planes to meet growth
Orlando-based National Airlines, a commercial air cargo and passenger charter provider, announced it has acquired four new aircraft to help with its expansion plans. <\p> The airline on July 25 ordered four Boeing 777-200F freighter aircraft to expand its fleet to nine 747-400 freighters, three A330 passenger aircraft and a 757-200 passenger aircraft, according to a release. <\p>
Suburb among fastest-growing housing markets in US
For anyone who has surmised that Horizon West must be one of the fastest-growing communities in the nation, there's now a new report from Yardi subsidiary StorageCafe to confirm as much.<\p> The southwest Orange County community came in at No. 7 in StorageCafe's list of the 20 fastest-growing housing markets. The report's main findings were based on housing inventory expansions over the past 10 years, with Horizon West — which is bordered by Winter Garden, Windermere, Disney and Lake County — boasting a 234% increase over the studied period.<\p>
Carnival orders ships for new class as cruise giant expands
Carnival Corp., a primary cruise operator out of Port Canaveral, announced it will introduce a new class of ship for its namesake brand Carnival Cruise Line.<\p> The Miami-based cruise operator (NYSE: CCL) tapped Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri for the design, engineering and construction of three liquefied natural gas-powered ships.<\p>
Casual dress is just the start of Gen Z making offices less formal
The post-pandemic workplace has undergone a lot of change, with hybrid work and the implementation of more-casual dress codes among the biggest shifts.<\p> Newly available research spotlights how both business owners and employees have younger workers to thank — or blame — for an ongoing casual revolution in the workplace that extends beyond dress codes.<\p>
Local performing arts venues see growing audience
Orlando has dozens of performing arts venues which contribute to the greater economic picture. <\p> Those include big venues like the Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts, Orlando Family Stage and the Orlando Shakes, as well as smaller venues like the Annie Russell Theatre at Rollins College and Fringe ArtsSpace. All of the region's venues allow for arts jobs to be created and for businesses connected to the arts to be supported with investments.<\p>
JetBlue adds two local flights to New England
JetBlue will add two more flights to New England from Orlando International Airport. <\p> The New York-based airline (Nasdaq: JBLU) will add 8 new routes to Maine, New Hampshire and Rhode Island through January 2025, including two in Orlando. At Orlando International Airport, JetBlue will add a Portland, Maine seasonal flight three times a week starting Oct. 10, with a daily year-round flight to Manchester, New Hampshire starting Jan. 23. <\p>
Two downtown Orlando roads could see major changes
Orlando could start designing changes to two major downtown roads, including making one of them change from a one-way street to two ways.<\p> The Downtown Orlando Community Redevelopment Agency Advisory Board on July 31 will consider Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. for design and engineering work for a "festival street" on a 250-foot span on Church Street between the SunRail tracks and Hughey Avenue. In addition, the CRA Advisory Board will consider a separate contract with DRMP Inc. to design a roughly 0.6-mile segment of Magnolia Avenue between South Street and Livingston Street into a two-way street. <\p>
Downtown haunted house in the works for Halloween
On Halloween, downtown Orlando is transformed into a major community festival. The streets are flooded with costumed partiers ready to show off their outfits and filling the nightclubs and bars along Orange Ave. <\p> This year, one of those bars might play host to an immersive haunted house experience Orlando hasn’t seen before. The location is The Corner, a bar, comedy club and dance club that’s part of The Block. <\p>
Hollerbach’s to open new burger restaurant in Sanford
Hollerbach's German Restaurant will take over the kitchen at a nearby music venue with a new burger concept. <\p> The popular downtown Sanford restaurant on July 26 announced it is leasing space for its Burgerbach's concept inside Tuffy's Music Box and Lounge. <\p>
Pat Williams: Sports legend, peach cobbler fan & big dreamer
Orlando lost two great leaders in recent months, Inez Long and Pat Williams. I didn't know Long, president and CEO of the Black Business Investment Fund, personally, but her work in the region brought success to many and I'd like to send condolences to her family, friends and others close to her. <\p> Williams I knew well through my time here, and I'd like to share a story about him. <\p>
The Restaurant Store to open in Orlando
A Lancaster, Pennsylvania-based wholesaler of foodservice equipment and supplies is set to open its first Florida location in Orlando.<\p> The Restaurant Group, a subsidiary of Clark Associates Inc., will open July 29 at 8205 S. John Young Pkwy., according to a release. The 67,000-square-foot store will open within the Sand Lake Corners South shopping center, about two miles west of The Florida Mall.<\p>
Popular Graffiti Junktion restaurant to close
Downtown Orlando neighborhood Thornton Park’s retail scene has seen a lot of changes and there are more to come. <\p> Graffiti Junktion, a cornerstone of Thornton Park for sixteen years, is set to close its doors at 700 E. Washington St. for the last time on July 28. The burger chain’s College Park spot closed last year, while its Curry Ford and Jacksonville locations — which have different ownership — remain open. <\p>
The Villages commercial market boosted by nearby families, workforce
About eight years ago, Linda Lee Hosler picked what may have been the perfect day to pitch her husband, Matt Hosler, on moving from their Michigan home to the area around The Villages.<\p> "He had shoveled the driveway four times that day, and that was enough to put him over the edge and say, 'Okay, let's look for a house in Florida.'"<\p>
Orange County may use funds to draw NFL Pro Bowl Games again
Orange County is lining up some incentives to draw the NFL Pro Bowl Games here again. <\p> The Orange County Tourist Development Council could provide $3 million in Tourist Development Tax revenues to bid for the 2025 NFL Pro Bowl Games. The Orange County Commission will vote on the incentives on July 30. <\p>
Red Lobster sale delayed
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Grace Robson on July 25 granted a Red Lobster motion to delay its final sale hearing until Sept. 5.<\p> Orlando-based restaurant chain Red Lobster Management LLC and its related subsidiaries filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy relief on May 19. Earlier this week it named its next owner, RL Purchaser LLC, a newly formed entity organized and controlled by Fortress Investment Group LLC.<\p>
Home goods retailer to close all stores here
Conn's, a Texas-based appliance, furniture and consumer electronic chain, is preparing to close dozens of locations — including all Central Florida Conn's HomePlus stores.<\p> Conn’s (Nasdaq: CONN) initiated store-closure sales at 106 of its locations to manage its financial hardships, according to court documents. <\p>
Southwest adds red-eye flights here
Southwest Airlines Co. will debut red-eye flights in Orlando as part of changes it is making for the customer experience. <\p> The Dallas-based company will offer assigned seats for the first time in 50 years and will add five initial nonstop red-eye flights. Southwest offered open seating for 50 years, but found 80% of Southwest customers and 86% of potential customers prefer an assigned seat. <\p>
Local restaurant group expands with upscale Japanese tapas concept
The first of three Oza Izakaya restaurants has opened in the Williamsburg Downs shopping plaza not far from SeaWorld Orlando, and restauranteur Tim Liu, the name behind Oza and other eateries such as Mikado Sushi in MetroWest and Boku Sushi & Grill in Maitland, is ready for more. <\p> What distinguishes Oza from other similar eateries around town is the painstaking detail brought to every element in the restaurant. The food, dishes, utensils, decor and interior moss landscape all stem from Liu’s imagination. <\p>
Another historic downtown building goes up for sale
A historic building in downtown Orlando is up for sale, the second such property to hit the market in a week.<\p> The three-story, 4,731-square-foot building at 17 E. Pine St. is being offered for $1.65 million, according to Jeré Matheny, vice president of brokerage services for First Capital Property Group, which is marketing the sale.<\p>
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