Monday – May 21, 2007

OCEAN CENTER EXPANSION ON TRACK -- A $75.9-million project to more than double the size of the county’s Ocean Center on N. Atlantic Avenue in Daytona Beach to 452,491 square feet is on schedule. According to County Manager Jim Dinneen and representatives from Ocorp Inc., which is overseeing construction, 48 percent of the building contracts are with local companies. The expanded facility is scheduled to open in mid-2008.

ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY CENTER TO OFFER ROBOTICS CAMPS -- The Advanced Technology Center (ATC) will offer a series of four "Robotics Camps" for middle and high school students. Participants will design, build, and program robots to perform specific tasks. Each of the one-week programs will encourage students to develop skills in project management, critical thinking, and teamwork. The first camp will begin June 11. For more information, please call 386/506-4126. To register, please call 386/506-3858.

HOUSING MARKET FOR AFFLUENT STILL DOING WELL -- While most of the state’s real estate markets sing the blues, sales of trophy properties are humming along. Research shows that affluent members of the first wave of Baby Boomers, and European and Latin American buyers, are acquiring million-dollar plus second and third homes. And because 2006 was a profitable year for Wall Street, New York area brokers, bankers and financial managers also are buying trophy properties in Florida. As land prices escalate, vertical condominiums generally are the only option for developers of properties along the ocean, bay or gulf.

FLORIDA A GLOBAL GATEWAY -- Florida is the strategic and economic center of the Americas. Geographic location, economic clout and political stability combine to make Florida the center of trade and finance throughout the Western Hemisphere. Florida's international trade grew to $95.3 billion in 2005, thanks, in part, to a multicultural, multilingual workforce that is skilled in international commerce.

STATE’S E-PROCUREMENT SYSTEM STREAMLINES GOVERNMENT PURCHASING -- The state's e-procurement system, MyFloridaMarketPlace, is designed to streamline transactions between vendors and state government entities that purchase goods and services. The site also is where businesses that want to apply for minority business enterprise (MBE) certification can do so as part of an online registration process. More than 66,000 vendors, including almost 21,000 minority vendors, have registered with MyFloridaMarketPlace. Some 32 state agencies using the system have placed 194,000 purchase orders and spent $1.6 billion. To register go to MyFloridaMarketplace.com, dms.myflorida.com or call 866/352-3776 , or go to Office of Supplier Diversity osd.dms.state.fl.us or call 850/487-0915.

NEW TSA/HOMELAND SECURITY REGULATIONS TO BE DISCUSSED-- Some of our manufacturers have been discussing the new regulation that requires employees to show a valid picture ID when helping to load a truck. The Volusia Manufacturers Association (VMA) will present a program on new regulations on securing your facility and products. The session will be Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in the Volusia Room on the second floor of Daytona Beach International Airport. Dinner will be served at 6:15 p.m. The cost is $25. To RSVP contact jayne.fifer@VMAonline.com

VOLUSIA FEDERAL CONTRACTS DECLINE -- According to a recent U.S. Department of Defense report, the amount of government contracts received by Florida companies increased by $389.1 million during the most recent one-year period. While Florida experienced overall growth in federal procurement spending, Volusia County experienced a decline of approximately $10.7 million during the same period. In fiscal year 2005, businesses and organizations in Volusia County were awarded $96.2 million in federal contracts. In fiscal year 2006, the number dropped to $85.5 million.

NEWS ITEMS WANTED! – Please send your business news items to Dave Byron, Volusia County Community Information Director, 123 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand, 32720-4612, by fax at (386) 822-5072 or by e-mail at dbyron@co.volusia.fl.us.