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Restaurant honored
The Refinery, a Tampa restaurant that opened just under a year ago, was nominated as one of the nation's best by the James Beard Foundation. Only 33 restaurants were named as semifinalists in the new restaurant category, with five finalists to be named March 21 for the prestigious James Beard Award presented in May.
Greg and Michelle Baker opened the eatery last March in the Seminole Heights neighborhood at 5137 N. Florida Ave. The Refinery changes its menu each week and emphasizes fresh foods with locally grown produce.
State Fair attendance booms
Warm, sunny weather and widely publicized food items brought bigger crowds to this year's Florida State Fair in Tampa. Fair officials cited a 37% increase in attendance over last year, when the 12-day event was affected by cold temperatures and overcast skies.
More than 486,000 people turned out, up from 354,000 in 2010 and topping the fair's average by 10,000. This year's fair included several attractions that were free beyond the price of admission, as well as midway eats such as hamburgers and desserts.
Improved attendance should help the Florida State Fair Authority turn a profit after losing $1.1 million last year.
Site draws interest
Three developers told Sarasota city officials they are interested in building a hotel on a downtown vacant lot next to the new parking garage on Palm Avenue.
The proposals could result in 200 hotel rooms in an area local tourism officials often say is in need of more rooms. Hotel brands potentially connected to the project include Doubletree, Hilton and Marriot.
City officials also expressed their desire to have a hotel on the site, but City Manager Bob Bartolotta says a mixed-use development would also be favorable. Bartolotta says he wants to find a company that will start building within 12 to 15 months.
Hospital buys practice
Blake Medical Center in west Bradenton announced it acquired Pinnacle Medical Group, a general medical practice with five offices in Manatee County.
The deal will be effective March 1. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The acquisition will add more than 100 health care professionals to Blake's operations. Pinnacle's clinical locations will continue to operate under the deal.
The 383-bed Blake Medical Center opened in 1973. It has expanded over the past 18 months, with moves that include the purchase of HealthCare America Medical Group and plans to build a $2.5 million trauma center.
Large project proposed
A north Manatee County developer recently submitted plans to local officials for a large-scale mixed-use project.
The proposal, from FLM Inc., includes more than 3,000 homes, 400,000 square feet of retail space and 150,000 square feet of office space. The project, Parrish Lakes, would be on more than 1,000 acres east of Interstate 75, near Moccasin Wallow Road.
The project could go before the Manatee County Planning Commission in June and the County Commission in July. Due to its size, the proposal could also be considered a development of regional impact, which means state and regional officials will also be involved in the approvals process.
Politician reimburses county
Former Manatee County Commissioner Gwendolyn Brown reimbursed the county $1,800 in a settlement with the Florida Commission on Ethics, which determined she misused her position while still in office last year.
The ethics commission ruled there was sufficient evidence to prove Brown used county employees, copy machines, computers, email and more to assist with outside employment and her campaign for reelection.
Brown, a Democrat first elected to the Manatee County Commission in 1994, lost a primary election to local attorney Michael Gallen in August. Gallen won a seat on the commission in the general election.
Robb & Stucky reorganizes
Upscale furniture retailer Robb & Stucky filed for Chapter 11 reorganization on Feb. 18, saying it faced a liquidity crisis resulting from the residential real estate downturn.
The Fort Myers-based company reported 2010 assets of nearly $99 million and liabilities of $137 million. In 2010, Robb & Stucky lost $12.3 million on $140 million in revenues.
The company's biggest creditors include Bank of America ($21.2 million), CIRS Financing ($13.5 million), Wachovia ($3.5 million) and the management of the company, including CEO Clive Lubner ($2.5 million).
According to the bankruptcy petition, the company plans to liquidate its assets and sell off the company, though the exact details aren't fully spelled out in the initial filings.
“The debtor's exact plan is in flux, based upon negotiations that are occurring and ongoing with potential purchasers and other interested parties,” the filing says.
Robb & Stucky employs 760 people at 24 locations in four states. It has two general partners and 267 limited partners.
VR labs wins Lee subsidies
Lee County awarded $5 million in taxpayer subsidies to VR Laboratories, a botanical pharmaceutics startup that promises to create 208 jobs in the next five years.
Reginald Steele, executive chairman of VR Laboratories, says the company plans to lease space or build a new production facility in Lee County by 2013 using technology developed by entrepreneur Robert Gow, the chairman and CEO of Naples-based HerbalScience.
Arthrex adds jobs
Naples-based medical device manufacturer Arthrex says it recently hired its 1,000th local employee.
Arthrex, which makes surgical tools for orthopedic surgeons, says revenues will hit $1 billion this year, a 15% increase over 2010. Arthrex founder Reinhold Schmieding estimates his company has a $435 million economic impact on Collier County today.
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