Ford Motor Co. slashed prices of its electric F-150 Lightning pickup truck by as much as 7.5% as the automaker prepares to resume deliveries this month following a halt earlier this year over an undisclosed quality issue.
Universal Orlando has released more details about Stella Nova and Terra Luna resorts, two of the hotels designed for the under-construction theme park Epic Universe. They’re all scheduled to open in 2025.
Thursday’s announcement centered primarily on food and beverage outlets and the continuation of the intergalactic theming of the resorts.
The lobby bars will be called Nova Bar at Stella Nova and Luna Bar at Terra Luna.
Cosmos Cafe and Market will be the quick-service restaurant at Stella Nova, while its companion eatery over at Terra Luna will be called Omega Cafe and Market. Both will be have “made-to-order American classic” fare and be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Universal said. They’ll also have grab-and-go selections.
Each resort will have walk-up bars and grills. It’s Galaxy Bar and Galaxy Grill at Stella Nova, then Moonrise Bar and Moonrise Grill at Terra Luna. Menu items will include hamburgers, quesadillas and salads, Universal said.
Both will have swimming pools covering almost 10,000 square feet. Other resort amenities will include fitness centers, game rooms and recreation rooms. Both resorts will have stores selling merchandise and necessities.
TALLAHASSEE — Private insurers pulled more than 275,000 policies last year from the state’s Citizens Property Insurance Corp. and have taken nearly 115,000 this year, with Citizens President and CEO Tim Cerio saying he thinks “we’re coming through to the other side” after years of troubles in the market.
Citizens, which was created as an insurer of last resort, ballooned during the past few years to become the largest insurer in the state as private carriers dropped customers and raised rates because of financial troubles.
But after the Legislature approved a series of changes to try to bolster the market, private insurers took 275,324 Citizens policies in 2023 through what is known as a “depopulation” program.
By comparison, private carriers took 16,408 policies in 2022, 2,814 policies in 2021 and 7,463 policies in 2020, according to data presented Wednesday during a meeting of the Citizens Board of Governors.
State leaders have long sought to minimize the number of policies in Citizens, at least in part because of financial risks if the state gets hit by a major hurricane or multiple hurricanes.
TALLAHASSEE — Florida State University is in line to receive up to nearly $98.5 million to construct aerospace and advanced manufacturing facilities in Panama City, under a contract approved Wednesday by the Triumph Gulf Coast Board of Directors.
In November, the board voted to negotiate terms and a contract for what’s known as the Institute for Strategic Partnerships, Innovation, Research, and Education (InSPIRE) project.
The facility, which supporters say could be a boon for North Florida’s economy, is slated to be located within or near a technology park called the Northwest Florida Beaches Airport and the Venture Crossings.
The seven-member board voted unanimously Wednesday to approve a contract to pay for the project through a grant award agreement of up to $98.453,615. The money is part of the funds that came to the state through a settlement with BP oil company over the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. It’s intended to help Panhandle counties impacted by the oil spill.
With hopes of capitalizing on pickleball’s growing popularity, a developer has submitted plans for a 44-court complex in Ocoee that could host large tournaments, according to a GrowthSpotter report.
The proposed facility would include a mixture of indoor and outdoor courts, with a site plan indicating that 20 would be indoor, with the remainder outside. The outdoor courts would be covered, featuring a roof that shields players from the elements and ceiling fans that can cool visitors.
Additionally, the center would have a 14,000-square-foot, two-story pro shop and cafe.
It calls for about 150,000 square feet of space on six acres at 1000 Jacob Nathan Blvd. in Ocoee. Property records indicate that the property’s owner, Vasant Sports LLC, purchased the land last October for just more than $2.7 million.
Representatives from Vasant Sports LLC couldn’t be reached for comment.
Plans submitted to Ocoee show a proposed “championship” court, which indicates that the facility could hold large pickleball tournaments. A staff analysis from the city says the owner plans to incorporate “real-time technology” that will notify players when they should arrive at the facility and when their designated court is available for play.