Lockheed Martin Corp's Orlando missiles unit has received two new contracts worth a combined $449 million to produce next-generation stealth cruise missiles for the U.S. Air Force, the company said Thursday. The latest deals for the advanced cruise missile work will sustain at least 135 high-tech defense jobs in Orlando, not including an unspecified number of jobs at vendors and suppliers, officials said. About two dozen people also work on the program at Lockheed's electronics plant in Ocala. It was the first time Lockheed received two contracts simultaneously for production of the Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile, the company said. Lockheed Martin's missile unit on Sand Lake Road employs more than 4,000 and is the Bethesda, Md.-based company's oldest and largest operation in Florida. Read the complete article here.

Rainfall may help Florida's oyster industry to recover

Record rainfall may help the Florida Panhandle's ailing oyster industry recover from several years of wide-reaching droughts. Florida, South Carolina and parts of Georgia saw near-record rainfall in the last six months of 2012 and throughout 2013, Florida State Climatologist David Zierden tells the Tallahassee Democrat. Researchers have blamed the 2012 decline of the oyster population in the Apalachicola Bay on persistent droughts from 2009 through 2012 throughout the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint basin. Oyster harvest landings declined 60 percent over the last year, resulting in a 44 percent drop in revenue. "We've had an unusual amount of rainfall in the drainage basin," Zierden said. "So it certainly will be beneficial to the recovery of the estuaries and the oyster fishery". Read more here.

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is facing a new path to growth

If all goes well with the $2.3-billion expansion underway at FLL, the airport will emerge with ample room to handle more passengers and jets while preserving its reputation as affordable and convenient. (It is touting a slogan of "Breeze In. Breeze Out."). FLL, which during the past decade has solidified its position as South Florida's airport of choice for budget-minded travelers, is well along in the construction of a new $791 million, 8,000-foot south runway. Confident of finishing it on time, airport officials have nailed down an opening date of Sept. 18. That will boost the airport's capacity and flexibility by providing a second runway able to handle large commercial jets. And because it's parallel with the north runway, the airport will be able to handle takeoffs and landings simultaneously. Read more about the topic here.

Florida business owners are expecting gains in year 2014

There's an abundance of confidence in the local economy among Florida business owners surveyed by BMO Harris Bank. Ninety-six percent of those polled said they expect their own businesses to either grow or stay at the same level in 2014. Ninety-two-percent expect the Florida economy to improve or hold steady this year, and 80 percent expect the U.S. economy to either improve or stay the same this year. "It's a very encouraging sign that Florida business owners are so confident about their company outlooks in 2014," Andrew Cardimen, managing director and head, commercial banking, Florida, for BMO Harris Bank, said in a statement. Poll respondents cited lower taxes (24 percent), weather and climate (20 percent) and a large workforce (8 percent) as the largest advantage for doing business in Florida, compared to elsewhere in the United States. Read more here.

Visit Florida campaign encourages tourists to migrate south

It's practically a pastime for Floridians to brag about the state's sunny weather to friends in colder climates this time of year. So it's no surprise that Florida's newest tourism-marketing campaign takes a similar approach, by making sure folks in cold climates know just how lovely it is in the Sunshine State during the dead of winter. The $5 million campaign, which kicked off this week, will target cities such as Boston, Chicago, New York and Philadelphia. Called "The Warmer Side of Winter," it will run through late March and encourages travelers to migrate south for a few days of warmth and sunshine. In addition to traditional advertising on TV, the campaign will include digital, print and radio ads. It also uses "out-of-home" marketing, such as mannequins riding atop taxicabs. Review the complete article here.

Venture capital investment rises greatly in Florida

 Venture capitalists invested $421 million in 37 Florida companies in 2013 -- that is double 2012's total and the best year since 2004, according to data released Friday. South Florida companies attracted the lion's share of that total - $284 million, or more than two-thirds of the total invested in the state. Statewide, software investments clearly led the pack, with $194 million going into that industry, according to the MoneyTree Report by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the National Venture Capital Association. Half of that total went into a fourth-quarter investment in OpenPeak, a Boca Raton mobile enterprise software company. The $93 million investment was led by Castletop Capital and GMG Capital Partners. Miami-based Open English's $65 million raise earlier in the year was the second biggest investment in 2013; while CareCloud's $29.3 million was the third largest. Read more here.

South Florida attracts more corporate headquarters

Lured by the sun, low taxes and a diverse workforce, an increasing number of companies are setting up corporate headquarters in South Florida. Eighteen corporate headquarters have expanded or moved to Broward and Palm Beach counties since the recession officially ended in 2011. Seven of those offices moved from other states or countries; 11 expanded here. For residents and communities, the trend means hundreds of high-paying jobs, more tax revenue, real estate investment, contributions for charities and events, and an indirect boost to housing and consumer spending. The complete article is available here.

The Florida Chamber Foundation: Trade has opportunities

The Florida Chamber Foundation recently released an update to its 2010 Florida Trade and Logistic Study. The report examines whether Florida has made progress in its trade and logistics infrastructure and in preparing to take advantage of opportunities presented by the expansion of Panama Canal. It also looks at how Florida can do more, especially to export more. Tony Carvajal, the foundation�s executive vice president, and Alice Ancona, the Florida Chamber of Commerce�s director of global outreach, talk about Florida�s trade prospects. Read the complete article here.  

MiaGreen Expo & Conference

February 27-28, 2014

Miami Beach, Florida