Orlando Tops Florida Ratings For Growth

[spenser1058]

St. Pete Times (I hate the new name) notes Orlando hit it out of the park on the latest Milken Institute ratings, not only for job growth but emerging tech. That made us the highest ranked in Florida. Go us! http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/economicdevelopment/competing-metros-tampa-bay-rebounds-to-best-performance-in-decade-in/2306516

[prahaboheme]

I find this point made about Orlando important:

"Let me suggest another factor in Orlando's success not captured in the Milken survey. That metro area's economic development organizations are regionally streamlined to speak with one voice. They are also efficient and communicate to each other so they rarely duplicate efforts or compete against one another. Tampa Bay, by contrast, still struggles to operate as a single market, though there are signs of improving cooperation."

Efforts made by both the City and County to come together as a unified body seem to be paying off. I think back to the Crotty days of a "downtown Orange County" and how confusing this all must have been to visitors. I'm glad those days are behind us.

[spenser1058]

That's very true, and it's amazing how rarely shots are fired at City Hall from S. Rosalind these days. 

Buddy seems to have solidified his place as the alpha dog of the region with Teresa content to go along.

I don't know if the increasingly Democratic complexion of the unincorporated areas of OC are responsible and if it will all change with Teresa term-limited and Buddy likely to give guv a shot, but it's going to be fascinating to watch.

 

[jack]

And this is before the Chamber and EDC merge. I think it will be better afterwards or at least more efficient. 

[spenser1058]

We came in #2 on Forbes' Fastest Growing Cities list:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/samanthasharf/2017/02/10/full-list-americas-fastest-growing-cities-2017/#48cb5ce86007

Every county on the I4 corridor made the list, along with Brevard County. Brevard and Volusia counties have lagged for years, so I'm particularly interested in whether it's spillover (Deltona folks commuting into the Orlando MSA, for example), or if Daytona and the Space Coast cities are becoming job clusters at last (and the private space firms making an impact in Brevard) or if this is a function of boomer retirees coming to the area.

[metal93]

Florida in general is dominating the Forbes list. It's great to hear that we're still near the top, but I hope this growth translates to vertical development in and near the downtowns of each city as opposed to sprawl.

I agree that it's most likely a surge of retirees, this somewhat alleviates my concern about more congestion on our roads and highways; SunRail Phase II, SunRail airport connector, I-4 Ultimate, Wekiva Parkway, and various other transit and highway projects can't come soon enough.

[dcluley98]

On 2/22/2017 at 2:00 PM, metal93 said:

Florida in general is dominating the Forbes list. It's great to hear that we're still near the top, but I hope this growth translates to vertical development in and near the downtowns of each city as opposed to sprawl.

 

1

I agree, but I also hope it translates into economic growth for the citizens who live here. Nothing worse than making a crap wage and working more and affording less when outsiders with a lot of money come in and change the dynamics.  I miss 1989 at times. 

[metal93]

Same, one major fault of Orlando is its trouble in attracting companies that can create higher-paying jobs here, and getting stuck with just creating more low-wage and part-time jobs tied to the tourism and service industries.