AGP Executive Report

Miami Stadium Vote: Miami voters head to the polls Tuesday on whether the city can partner with a private company to revive the Miami Marine Stadium on Virginia Key, a National Register-listed Brutalist landmark tied to powerboat racing, Elvis’s “Clambake,” and Jimmy Buffett. State Revenue Outlook: Florida’s Revenue Estimating Conference lifted general revenue projections by nearly $1 billion amid uncertainty tied to oil-shipping disruptions, tariffs, and inflation—especially boosting corporate income tax forecasts. Air Travel Expansion: Allegiant announced nine new nonstop routes from Florida, including hyper-seasonal spring options and new Orlando-area service. Cybersecurity Growth: Tampa Bay cybersecurity firm Ridge IT Cyber earned its fourth straight Inc. 5000 spot after 181% three-year growth, adding headcount locally. Tech & Ticketing: Celebriffy Technologies unveiled SeatSpark, a face-first event entry platform with QR fallback, aiming to reduce ticket credential sharing. Local Business & Jobs: SFSC Foundation received a donation from All American Pool Services to fund Adult Education and ESOL students’ tuition and fees. Policy Watch (Data Centers): Crestview officials are moving toward an ordinance that could block new data center development as utility and land-use pressures mount. Crime & Fraud: A Bonita Springs woman accused of faking cancer to collect $40,000 from neighbors faces grand theft charges.

Election Money & AI Policy: AI-focused super PACs are pouring money into midterm races, with Florida among states seeing Big Tech-backed spending as candidates and lawmakers fight over whether AI rules should be federal or state-led. Free Speech & Tech Platforms: A Florida congressional primary story is getting pulled from Google search results after alleged bogus copyright takedown claims, raising fresh alarms about automated suppression of political coverage. Space & Defense: SpaceX set a record by launching a Falcon 9 from Florida, then firing another 38 minutes later from California on a classified U.S. Space Force mission. Healthcare Workforce: Florida is expanding the LINE Fund to boost nursing education capacity and partnerships as demand for nurses grows. Business & Compliance: FDA inspection updates show two Brevard-linked companies and one Broward-linked company received July inspections, all with “No Action Indicated” results. Consumer Watch: BBB Scam Tracker data highlights ongoing fraud risk across Florida cities, with Jacksonville, Tampa, and Miami leading reported scam counts in July. Disney Expansion: Walt Disney World detailed major new land and attraction plans, including Villains Land and other expansions, as the company maps out its biggest Florida growth slate yet.

Space & Tech: SpaceX set a new pace record by launching two Falcon 9 rockets just 38 minutes apart from Florida and California, deploying Globalstar satellites from Cape Canaveral and underscoring how reusable rockets are tightening launch schedules. Healthcare Growth: OmniRx Health topped 10,000 subscribers and expanded its virtual primary care footprint to 44 licensed states, aiming to reduce wait times and insurance friction. Business & Investment: IonQ completed its $1.8 billion acquisition of SkyWater Technology, a semiconductor foundry with a Florida footprint, signaling a push to secure more of the chip supply chain behind advanced computing. Local Economy & Housing: Sarasota County groups are urging vigilance on Live Local Act projects after concerns about how recent amendments affect county approvals and affordable-housing outcomes. Tourism & Real Estate: Miami voters will decide whether the city can partner with a private operator to revive the historic Miami Marine Stadium, a major South Florida landmark tied to powerboat racing and pop-culture history. Politics & Policy: Florida’s GOP primary and related races remain tight, with candidates framing affordability and insurance costs as central issues.

Real Estate & Local Policy: Bonita Springs voters will decide Tuesday on a $35 million bond referendum to fund the Bonita Estero Rail Trail, with opponents warning about long-term property tax costs and supporters pitching it as a safer, long-term community investment. Politics & Campaign Finance: U.S. Rep. Randy Fine is asking the FBI to investigate his GOP primary rival Dan Bilzerian and Lake County Commissioner Anthony Sabatini over alleged unreported campaign spending tied to a purported Florida political group. Business & Retail Expansion: Shake Shack plans to open 11 new locations across nine states this month, including Orlando and Doral, as the chain continues rolling out a West Coast-inspired menu. Aviation & Mobility: Gov. Ron DeSantis says Florida is preparing to test eVTOL “flying taxi” aircraft at SunTrax in Polk County by year-end, aiming for possible service soon after. Consumer & Fraud Watch: BBB Scam Tracker data shows Riverview logged seven scam reports in July, up from two in the prior month, with online purchase scams driving the biggest losses. Environment & Tourism: Florida Keys restoration teams are moving vulnerable corals to deeper, cooler waters as renewed heat threatens another bleaching risk after the 2023 marine heat wave. Aviation/Travel: Allegiant is set to add seven new East Coast routes to Florida airports, expanding leisure travel access to Orlando, Punta Gorda, Sanford, St. Petersburg and Fort Lauderdale. Sports Business: Florida Realtors’ 2026 Convention & Trade Expo in Orlando (Aug. 19-20) will focus on AI, fraud prevention, cybersecurity and a Wealth Building Summit for agents.

Leadership Move: Cable One named Heather McCallion COO, tasking her with running residential sales, customer experience, field operations and digital transformation across 24 states. Local Business & Growth: Webber International University held its annual convocation and kicked off its Centennial celebration, with about 750 students returning Aug. 24 and a “Webber Forward” theme tied to its 2025-2030 plan. Workforce & Policy: The Sebring Chamber’s State of the Community luncheon spotlighted marketing, talent shortages, housing and business strategy, including state emphasis on aviation/advanced air mobility and manufacturing. Healthcare Innovation: FIU received $2 million to expand myFORCE, a personalized cancer program that tests patients’ living tumor cells against FDA-approved therapies and scales clinical trials. Space & Tech: NASA will accelerate Artemis and also host “MAX POWER” at Kennedy Space Center on Nov. 6-7, featuring the Air Force Thunderbirds, astronauts and new aerospace tech. Regulatory/Legal: A federal order took effect allowing suppressor and certain gun purchases without registration in states that joined the lawsuit, reshaping compliance for firearm dealers. Community & Economy: Manatee County opened a 30-day public comment period on a Draft CDBG-DR amendment under “Lasting Manatee,” expanding homeowner reimbursement for storm repairs. Sports Business: ReliaQuest became Florida State men’s basketball’s first jersey patch sponsor for 2026-27.

Privacy & Policing Tech: Flock license-plate cameras are facing vandalism nationwide, with the company saying it has 120,000 cameras in 49 states—renewing debate over surveillance and privacy. Legal & Business: Greenberg Traurig attorneys won a near-$41 million summary judgment in a Florida security agreements dispute, touting speed and strategy in the 11th Judicial Circuit. Real Estate & Local Taxes: Monroe County will review how a proposed Florida constitutional amendment could cut property-tax revenue, with early estimates pointing to millions in losses. Food Safety: USDA recalled nearly 30,000 pounds of Argentine beef after a missed import reinspection; separately, Palm Beach County reported 22 cyclospora cases tied to a Taylor Farms lettuce recall. Florida Economy & Growth: Planet Fitness announced three development agreements in Florida’s west coast. Construction & Infrastructure: DeSantis accelerated a $56 million Clyde Morris Boulevard project in Daytona Beach and highlighted Embry-Riddle’s AAM and autonomous-vehicle partnership with FDOT. Corporate/Crime: A former “Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta” cast member was charged in a Florida real estate scam tied to $198,000 in alleged losses.

Artificial Reefs Meet Tourism: Florida’s Gulf Coast counties are sinking more ships and concrete reefs than ever, betting the underwater network will turn the Panhandle into a year-round dive and fishing draw. AI, Courts, and Liability: A Massachusetts teen charged with murder allegedly used ChatGPT to explore violent “fantasy scenarios,” while a separate legal push argues Meta’s social media can be treated as a public nuisance—raising new questions for AI chatbot makers. Tech and Privacy: License-plate camera firm Flock Safety says it will tighten privacy rules nationwide, after Florida reports of alleged misuse. Crypto Regulation Fight: The CFTC’s emergency move to keep Kalshi operating spotlights the federal-state battle over prediction markets and where crypto-adjacent products fit. Florida Business & Construction: A $78M U.S. Navy contract will expand ammunition storage at NAS Sigonella in Sicily, with Orlando-based Conti Federal Services winning the work. Real Estate & Growth: Orange County commissioners will review a first agricultural enclave proposal under a new law, a potential path for rural development near Lake Pickett Road. Travel Costs: Mexico doubled its cruise passenger fee for foreigners, a hit that could ripple through Florida’s cruise market. Consumer Safety: The FDA announced a nationwide recall of a popular Schwarzkopf hair mousse over a packaging defect that could cause explosions.

Air Travel & Markets: Hertz shares slid after Pershing Square sold its stake, with the car-rental firm’s stock still swinging wildly after a recent earnings-driven rally. Grocery & Retail Consolidation: C&S Wholesale Grocers proposed becoming majority owner of The Winn-Dixie Company, with a 2027 close expected and plans to refresh stores and expand private label. Restaurant Expansion: Inspire Brands’ first co-branded Buffalo Wild Wings Go and Jimmy John’s opens Aug. 18 in Palmetto, a move aimed at boosting unit volumes through carryout and delivery. Real Estate & Housing: New reporting shows more local housing markets are cracking, with some sellers taking steep losses as buyers stay cautious amid higher rates. Finance: United Community Banks raised its quarterly cash dividend 4% to $0.26 per share. Elections Logistics: In the Florida Keys, election results for Aug. 18 may take longer because some precincts lost fax/landline lines used to transmit results. Business & Defense Tech: VirTra expanded its Orlando campus footprint and reported Q2 bookings and backlog growth. Corporate Governance: New College of Florida named Ronald A. Christaldi chair of its Board of Trustees. Consumer & Food: Krispy Kreme launched a Pokémon doughnut collection starting Aug. 18.

Hurricane Readiness & Home Insurance: HurricaneLaw.Pro launched in Florida and South Carolina with live NHC tracking plus tools for documenting losses, calculating deductibles, and handling claim denials. Luxury Travel & Mobility: RealCar is expanding door-to-door luxury rentals with delivery and one-way trips between New York City and Miami. Aerospace Manufacturing: Israeli eVTOL startup AIR is setting up U.S. manufacturing at Florida’s SunTrax near Orlando. Space Safety: A radiation-shielding vest tested for Artemis I could cut exposure for lunar astronauts during severe solar storms. AI & Local Business: Miami firms are ramping up practical AI adoption, but many say they need more training and better tech advisory support. Tourism Research: FIU was selected by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association to run a Caribbean-wide tourism demand study. Housing & Affordability: A new report says housing costs are outpacing pay for the tourism workforce in Volusia and Flagler. Real Estate Fraud: A Boca Raton man was sentenced to four years for a $13M real estate investor fraud scheme. Utilities & Oversight: Daytona Beach commissioners ordered a utility audit after residents reported unusually high bills. Insurance Market Pressure: Florida homeowners are still dealing with wind-insurance churn and rising costs, with Citizens and private carriers both in the mix. Property Records Access: ParcelRecordsUSA expanded a statewide Florida property records directory covering all 67 counties. Hospitality & Finance Tech: Mews won an Electronic Money Institution license from DNB to bring payments into its hospitality operating system. Student Housing Investment: Florida Tech opened Crimson Crossing, a $96M, 556-bed student complex in Melbourne.

Maritime Manufacturing Boost: Gov. Ron DeSantis awarded Pensacola $9 million from the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund to expand shipbuilding at the Port of Pensacola, backing two new boat-building facilities totaling about 400,000 square feet and projected to create roughly 2,000 jobs tied to complex U.S. Navy ship modules. Corporate/Capital Markets: Winnebago Industries’ board approved a 3% higher quarterly dividend, lifting the payout to $0.36 per share payable Sept. 23 to shareholders of record Sept. 9. Health & Food Policy: A Florida Atlantic University study linked higher ultra-processed food intake with increased prostate cancer risk in U.S. men, adding to growing scrutiny of UPFs. Fraud & Immigration Enforcement: The U.S. Justice Department unsealed an indictment charging 11 people in a decade-long sham marriage network that allegedly arranged 1,000+ fake marriages to help Chinese nationals obtain green cards, with Florida named among operating states. Local Business & Community: Miami Slice opened its new Coconut Grove location, marking its fourth Florida-area spot for the homegrown pizza brand. Public Safety/Infrastructure: Walton County received its engineering department’s Q2 report, including work on e-bike regulation input and a countywide crash evaluation to prioritize intersection safety upgrades.

Energy Storage Boom: US battery storage capacity is on track to more than double by 2028, with EIA and industry forecasts pointing to rapid growth in utility-scale and solar-paired systems. AI Infrastructure & Local Impact: A Suncoast community meeting highlights how AI data centers are reshaping the local economy and land-use debate, while another report spotlights the “data center divide” facing Florida neighborhoods. Space Coast Launches: SpaceX successfully launched a new batch of Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral after delays, keeping Florida’s high launch tempo on track. Crypto Enforcement: Federal regulators hit Goliath Ventures and founder Christopher Delgado with parallel SEC and CFTC civil actions tied to an alleged $400M+ crypto fraud scheme, adding to the criminal case. Legal & Media: Donald Trump’s $10B defamation suit against the BBC in Florida leans on disputed iPlayer viewing figures for a Panorama documentary. Hospital AI Collaboration: Twelve hospital systems formed a diagnostic AI consortium aimed at speeding imaging interpretation and improving safety/quality across radiology workflows. Hospitality Expansion: Westgate Resorts opens its first Caribbean property in Bimini, signaling continued Florida-to-Caribbean tourism growth. Utilities Oversight: Florida’s PSC holds a weeklong hearing on Sunshine Water Services’ proposed purchase of Placid Lakes Utilities, with residents watching for rate changes. Public Health & Food Safety: Florida’s cyclosporiasis outbreak continues to expand, while separate food recalls and restaurant inspection issues keep pressure on compliance.

Judge Fight: A Florida federal judge accused a “Let’s Go Brandon” meme-coin defendant of acting to disparage the court, and the defendant now seeks to disqualify the judge in a related contempt case. Corporate Moves: Trulieve completed its redomicile from British Columbia to Delaware, keeping its NYSE ticker while shifting its corporate base to the U.S. Health & Biotech: ILiAD Biotechnologies added new board members and named a chief business officer as it advances a pertussis program; Belenos reported Phase 2 success for BEL512 in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps. Business Growth: Voltage Nexus launched a portable battery rental kiosk network in Ocala, aiming to create a new on-the-go charging revenue stream for venues and partners. Real Estate/Development: Tampa’s WestShore Plaza has a new owner with plans to redevelop the 53-acre mall into mixed-use. Policy & Politics: Florida’s governor race is drawing heavy money tied to energy and gaming interests, while a WLRN/PolitiFact partnership spotlights claims about data centers and electric bills. Consumer/Legal: The CFTC filed a complaint alleging a $400M crypto fraud scheme by Goliath Ventures and its CEO.

Energy & M&A: Rep. Eugene Vindman says he’ll oppose the Dominion-NextEra merger, arguing it would raise bills for families in Florida’s 7th District while regulators still lack answers after the lieutenant governor sent 64 SEC questions. Public Safety Tech: Flock Safety is losing municipal contracts in multiple states as cities cite privacy and data-governance concerns, including unresolved disputes over data ownership and sharing. Healthcare Access: VITAS Healthcare launched a mobile app aimed at speeding hospice referrals and helping clinicians and families coordinate care. Courts & Consumer/Business Risk: A Supreme Court order appoints an independent administrator/forensic accountant to track more than $6.7M in disputed Conch & Coconut revenue tied to a Bahamas tourism operation involving a Florida corporation. Local Governance & Infrastructure: Bonita Springs voters will decide Aug. 18 whether to approve a $35M bond to buy land for the Bonita Estero Rail Trail. Space & Business: SpaceX scrubbed a Cape Canaveral Starlink launch and is now set to try again Tuesday. Workforce & Education: EA’s Get in the Game STEAM camp brings Central Florida students to its Orlando studio for mentorship tied to careers in sports video games. Health & Compliance: Florida’s cyclospora outbreak continues to expand, with researchers pointing to sewage contamination risks in the broader food/water chain.

Advanced Air Mobility: Gov. Ron DeSantis says Florida will start testing electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft across Central Florida by end of 2026 at the SunTrax facility, adding vertiports and expanding autonomous-vehicle work. Autonomous Tech & Safety: FDOT highlighted SunTrax’s controlled environment for companies like Tesla and Waymo, with officials stressing safety and human behavior as a key crash factor. Food Safety: Taylor Farms recalled jalapeño-based dips, salsas and guacamole tied to a multistate salmonella outbreak linked to Mexican-grown peppers, with illnesses reported across dozens of states. Local Business & Growth: Indian River County’s community-backed reading push is hitting a 90% third-grade proficiency goal and drawing national attention, while IKEA confirmed its first Oklahoma store in Tulsa is on track for fall 2026. Corporate & Legal Watch: A federal appeals court kept thousands of social media addiction lawsuits alive against Meta and others, rejecting an early Section 230 dismissal attempt. Workforce & Operations: Tractor Supply’s Petsense unit will close underperforming stores, including several in Florida’s Sarasota and Polk areas. Surveillance Debate: Coverage highlighted how Flock license-plate cameras are spreading and how residents are using public maps to track deployments.

Insurance & Housing: A Florida editorial argues the state’s insurer-friendly reforms have made it harder for homeowners to challenge carriers, while climate risk and population growth remain the real drivers of higher premiums. Public Health & Environment: A Florida community near a phosphogypsum waste stack fears radioactive contamination risks, as residents question how to protect thousands living beside the industrial site. Immigration & Labor: DHS is weighing ending the 60-day job-loss grace period for some visa holders, potentially forcing workers and families to leave sooner. Water Tech: FIU researchers turn rice husks into biochar-based filters to pull industrial pollutants from polluted water. Aviation Efficiency: UF researchers use AI and digital twins to model airport operations and improve resilience. Food Safety: A jalapeño-linked Salmonella outbreak has triggered broad recalls affecting major retailers, including Florida distribution. Space Industry: Blue Origin traces a New Glenn launchpad explosion to a BE-4 oxygen valve issue, underscoring how one part can cascade into major damage. Energy Regulation: Virginia’s governor says she’ll intervene in the Dominion-NextEra merger, a deal that would reshape utility affordability debates.

Legal & Governance: Todd Blanche is set to be sworn in as Florida-linked Justice Department leader after a bruising confirmation fight, but the real test is whether he can balance Trump’s push for aggressive prosecutions with a skeptical federal judiciary and a demoralized DOJ workforce. Public Safety & Local Politics: Columbia County District 4 candidate Robert Lane pitched a platform rooted in decades of military and firefighting leadership, emphasizing transparency and long-term planning. Real Estate & Consumer Costs: Florida homeowners are getting new guidance from UF/IFAS on “super termites,” with researchers pushing back on hype and clarifying where hybrid termites are actually found and what that means for management. Business & Travel: Cayman Airways is expanding its Austin–Grand Cayman route with longer winter/spring service and added weekly flights, signaling continued demand for nonstop leisure travel. Tech & Mobility: Zoox’s robotaxi rollout in Miami and Austin moves toward commercialization after a federal exemption, a step that could reshape how autonomous fleets scale in Florida. Environment & Health: A Florida chemist and international team turned rice husk waste into reusable filters that trap textile dyes, pointing to a potential new use for agricultural byproducts. Energy Policy: Florida is weighing an “aerial highway” plan that would redirect EV charger funds toward charging infrastructure for flying taxis—raising questions about whether taxpayers should back a mode that isn’t here yet.