Manatee Mining Matters?

The Mosaic Co., or public enemy No. 1 in many environmental circles, believes it has found a way to turn trash into treasure.

The phosphate mining giant has long been critiqued by environmentalists for its potential impacts on area waterways. Because this is a business blog, we won't get into that here.

What caught my interest, on the other hand, is what Mosaic has done at one of its reclaimed mines. And it could be big business for Florida's top industry --tourism.

Mosaic, Florida's seventh largest land owner, unveiled progress of its new luxury golf resort before about 100 community stakeholders this week (as pictured above). The Streamsong Resort will sit on 16,000 acres of formerly mined phosphate land in rural Polk County, near the Manatee border.

Streamsong will feature a main lodge and golf clubhouse offering a combined 228 guest rooms; about 18,500 square feet of conference space; a full-service spa; fine and casual dining; several bars, including a rooftop lounge; guided bass fishing on surrounding lakes; hiking and birding trails; and a sporting clays range -- in addition to its golf operations, according to the company.

The first phase of the project will open in December 2012.

Mickey Mouse would be proud.

But the questions remains, what do you think? Will the new resort bring tourism dollars into local coffers? Will the company's questionable business reputation prevent you from going?

The business of governmental

Ask any relocating employer escaping the tax hikes of the Northeast, and they will tell you, government has a heavy hand in the success of an area's business climate.

Covering the Charlotte County Commission just a couple counties south for the past three years, I heard this touted time and time again by government officials.

Then, for the past few months, I saw the other side while covering business in my present role with the Bradenton Herald.

Dozens of companies, from the Pittsburgh Pirates to small medical manufacturers in Lakewood Ranch, said they chose Manatee because it's simply easy to do business here.

My experience came full circle while sitting in on a duo of Manatee County Commission work sessions Tuesday. Only this time, I heard the same sentiment from both sides.

The second of the two workshops focused on health care in the community, how patients can expect costs to rise and how government can lure the industry back. The conses among presenters: Fund more programs geared at prevention -- keeping the uninsured healthy and out of the emergency rooms.

It will be interesting to see just how they tackle that.

The economy from the eyes of a Fed banker

Tuesday was a pretty interesting night for a business reporter like myself. At one venue, I had an opportunity to see the economy through the eyes of both a Fed banker and college students.

While their lifestyles are near polar opposites, the results were surprisingly similar.

For maybe the first time since the housing bust crippled Southwest Florida's economy, area college students said they're excited about the job market they're about to enter. On top of it, Atlanta Fed President and CEO Dennis Lockhart (pictured) told them to expect things to improve further -- albeit slowly.

The job market was among a number of economic indicators Lockhart discussed in his economic forecast Tuesday night at New College of Florida, as I reported in my story for today's Bradenton Herald.

In all, he predicts 2.5 to 3 percent growth in 2012, and unlike some of his colleagues who also help set the country's monetary policy, he's not concerned about the effects ongoing recovery efforts could pose on inflation.

That optimism, however, won't be enough to budge the Fed's historically low rates until late 2014 -- likely keeping interest rates down across the board, from home mortgages to auto loans and savings accounts, Lockhart said.

The most pessimistic of the night: retirees attending the event who're living solely off  their lifetime savings and the interest it collects. For them, the Fed's decision, guided by Lockhart, means less early bird specials and rounds of golf.

So, where do you stand? Is Lockhart correct in his assessment? Will low Fed rates lift the economy? And are college students out of their mind for seeing potential in this job market?

For the latest, follow me on Twitter@JoshSalman

What does the new refinance deal mean?

The Attorney General and five of the nation's largest banks struck a deal Thursday that will allocate about $25 billion for mortgage refinancing and foreclosure relief, as I reported in my story today.

With nearly 45 percent of all Floridians underwater on their mortgage, or owing the bank more than their property is worth, the question on everybody's mind is what this means for them. I believe I can help.

The settlement is broken into several different components. The first is a $2,000 relief payment, somewhat like a class-action lawsuit, to those who lost their home to foreclosure between 2008 and 2011 -- when the widely-reported lender abuses were at the highest. This will affect about 85,000 Floridians, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Also, the many area homeowners falling behind on their payments may be able to qualify for a principal reduction or a loan modification, with $7.6 billion earmarked for that effort in the Sunshine State. Those owe more than what the home is worth also could refinance at a historically low interest rates, which hit 3.85 percent for an average 30-year fixed mortgage this week.

Only California will see a greater share than the $8.4 billion set aside for Florida. The banks outlined in the deal include: Bank of America, Wells Fargo, JP Chase, Citigroup and Ally Financial.

Contact your lender or HUD if you think you may qualify for assistance.

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Baseball spring training is just around the corner, which means an economic boon for many businesses across the Manatee area. Click here for more.

I already have my tickets for the Yankees-Pirates game at McKechnie Field. I have never been to the Bradenton ballpark before, and it's original 1923 building date was pretty alluring for me. I guess you could call it the Fenway Park of the South.


Which spring training game are you headed to this year?


For the latest business news and updates, follow me on Twitter @JoshSalman

Mansions, jobs and updates

Mega mansions appear to be coming back into fashion at Lakewood Ranch. 

Bucking the national trend, five homes in Lakewood Ranch are either planned this year or already under construction. Each are 10,000 square feet or larger, and all are located in The Lake Club -- the ranch's most exclusive gated community, according to Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, the developers of Lakewood Ranch.

London Bay Homes is building a 14,000-square-foot house, now under construction, and a 13,000-square-foot home planned to break ground soon. Todd Johnston Homes has a 17,000-square-foot home planned to begin construction this year that takes up three home sites. Paradise Homes also has a 19,000-square-foot home that will be built on two of the subdivision's lots, the company said.

The largest of them all: Westwater Construction has a whopping 20,000-square-foot mansion soon to break ground. That's the equivalent of about eight 2,500-square-foot homes, which is considered a healthy size for the general middle class. 

What does one do with all of that space?

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Looking for a job in Manatee-Sarasota area, you've come to the right place.

Protocol Global Solutions announced this week it will be hiring up to 500 full-time workers at its call center on Fruitville Road in Sarasota. The positions typically pay about $8 to $10 an hour, depending on experience. Interested applicants can apply online here.

Home Depot also will be hiring 70,000 employees for temporary positions at stores across the country, just go to the company's website to apply. Similarly, Lowe's is slated to hire 40,000 seasonal workers this year through its online career's center. 

My story in today's Bradenton Herald explains why. 

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I will touring the Pierce Manufacturing plant today. Read tomorrow's paper or visit Bradenton.com later for more.

Follow me on Twitter@JoshSalman

Pain at the pump

Recent pain at the pump is projected to only magnify through summer, when prices locally for regular unleaded gas could topple $4 a gallon, as I reported in my story today.

Readers on Anna Maria Island, however, already are paying $4 a gallon for premium unleaded fuel.

Experts believe the price increases will have more motorists who typically reach for the 93, switching to the less expensive 87 blends. The trend also could hamper sales this year of SUVs and trucks, while restoring interest in hybrid cars, said Gregg Laskoski, senior petroleum analyst with GasBuddy.com.

The Bradenton-Sarasota market reported an average of $3.62 per gallon of regular unleaded gas this week, up from the January average of $3.47 and December 2011 average of $3.27, according to AAA.

The Bradenton prices outpace the statewide average of $3.60 and national average of $3.48 per gallon. But deals are out there to be found.

I filled up this morning at 7-11 on U.S. 301 near Whitfield for $3.60. Others have told me about prices they have found as low as $3.56. I'm putting a call out to readers to tell me where the cheapest gas in Manatee is. Please leave a response in the comments section below. Where do you fill up? How much did you pay? Are you scaling back because of the prices?

And remember, for the latest business updates, follow me on Twitter @JoshSalman

Feld Entertainment as unique as its shows

Covering businesses throughout Southwest Florida for the past several years, I have toured my fair share of operations. Feld Entertainment was by far the most unique.

The four-acre Palmetto campus is a spectacle of organized chaos. Workers there produce the shows, which include the storied Ringing Bros. Circus and Disney On Ice, from the ground up. Everything is done in-house.

The 148-member team sews their own costumes. They weld their own sets and props. They maintain all of the train cars used for the global tours. They run an internal mail room for the traveling performers the size of a small post office. They even produce their own traveling ice-skating rinks, so when Disney On Ice arrives at an area in Beijing, the set-up crew has everything they need alongside.

Soon the company will be increasing its space tenfold, when it moves into a new 47-acre complex just a few miles down the road in Ellenton. My editor, Jennifer Rich, suggested the company open the doors to the public through guided tours when all is said and done (almost like Mardi Gras does in off season). Not a bad idea. My tour would have been well worth a $5 ticket.

The expansion will create 235 new jobs, as reported in my story today and in Tuesday's editions. What's caught the most local buzz about the move, however, is not the economic impact. It's the return of the circus winter quarters to Southwest Florida, opening the door for more local auditions and rehearsals.

The circus, which has roots in Sarasota dating back a century, moved its winter operations from Venice to Tampa in 1990. In about a year, Manatee will host all of those duties.

So grab some popcorn or cotton candy and watch the show unfold. Feld Entertainment has no plans of slowing down any time soon. And now, Manatee's seat just got a little closer.

For the latest business updates, follow me on Twitter @JoshSalman