CITY OF FORT CONSTRUCTION LAUDERDALE OVERVIEW
Dan Lindblade President & CEO Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce
The City of Fort Lauderdale is known as the ‘Yachting Capital of the World’.
international community to interact and retain local talent, grow small businesses, provide seed funding for startups, and make the city the hub for startup, innovation, and technology. The city’s arrangement with the Florida Panthers hockey team is moving forward, with plans to renovate War Memorial Auditorium. The Panthers are making a $65 million-dollar investment to add rinks for ice skating and hockey and to restore the existing interior for concerts and family-friendly programming. As part of the deal, the Panthers will also run the auditorium, saving the city on operational expenses that had become a serious drain on its budget. Work on updating the aquatic center also continues. From rebuilding the pools to improved locker rooms, the aquatic center will be a place for the community to enjoy recreational aquatics and home to major swimming and diving competitions. Key sectors Aviation Fort Lauderdale’s aviation is a multibillion-dollar sector with companies across the supply chain including airlines, general aviation, airports, airframe and engine manufacturers, component parts suppliers, maintenance and MRO businesses. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE) are the two major drivers of the aviation industry. FLL has a total economic impact of $37.5 billion, while FXE’s impact is $2.1 billion. Global logistics Due to its privileged location within 1,000 miles of
How do you see the local business community emerging from the current landscape? Coming out of the 2009-10 recession, hospitality was the first one back in the market and driving the recovery. This time around, it will likely be the last one. This time, construction and real estate are the industries that are driving us through this storm. Residential and commercial real estate has been hot. Healthcare has also been a critical driver, boosted by the federal resources injected into it. Despite elective surgeries and medical tourism being on pause, the healthcare industry has kept a significant number of people employed, dramatically helping the economy during this pandemic. As 2021 progresses, we should be on the right track, but it will prove a slow walk. What strategies are you implementing to attract more business to Fort Lauderdale? Our strategy for attracting new business remains unchanged. It is rooted in our employees and talent pool, which is the primary currency that businesses look at. We must continue raising awareness over the latest developments in that specific area. Florida Atlantic University, the innovative hub we are developing together with Max Planck and everything going on in Palm Beach and Martin counties are integral parts of those efforts. What are the chamber’s near-term priorities? Our Racial Equity Agenda is going to be a big issue for us. We need to move that forward and are already in motion on that topic. We need to have the tough conversations because they work as eye-openers within the business community. Uncomfortable conversations will help address the attitudes, behaviors and poor awareness people have on racism as well as social service programs and their inherent stigmas. Engaging in education is another high priority that remains top of mind, ensuring we have everyone back learning in a safe environment, with implemented protocols. www.capitalanalyticsassociates.com
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