[Tallahassee, Fla] The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association has issued the following statement from Carol Dover, CEO/President, regarding Hurricane Dorian:

“As Floridians brace for Hurricane Dorian, the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association has begun work to help members, residents and visitors alike prepare for the storm and its aftermath. Members of FRLA staff are part of the official response at the State Emergency Operations Center and staff ESF-18 alongside our private sector partners to assist in response and recovery.

“Although Floridians are accustomed to storms, it’s important to ensure that we take the threat of Dorian seriously, prepare accordingly and heed all emergency orders.

“FRLA has asked members to prioritize safety in a variety of ways beyond basic storm preparation. We encouraged members to waive cancellation fees as the storm approaches as our primary goal is always the safety of visitors, and we want to keep them out of harm’s way. Additionally, we have urged all members to extend hospitality to pets by relaxing any pet restrictions they may have. Many people are reluctant to leave their feathered and furred friends behind, and some will refuse to leave unless they can bring their pets with them. We hope that relaxed restrictions and pet-friendly accommodations will help motivate those in the path of the storm to heed evacuation warnings.

“We are directing members and travelers in the Sunshine State to VISIT FLORIDA’s Florida Now page for the most up-to-date information regarding the storm as well as accommodations availability via a partnership with Expedia.

“To help after the storm, FRLA asks members to register with FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance program, which provides short-term lodging assistance to evacuees who cannot return home immediately following a disaster.

“FRLA will continue to monitor the storm and stands ready to assist members, residents and visitors however we can before, during and after Hurricane Dorian.”

For additional resources before, during and after the storm, please visit FRLA’s Hurricane Resource page.

[ORLANDO, Fla.]  Universal Orlando Resort is building a new, fourth, theme park to be called Universal’s Epic Universe. The vision: create an entirely new level of experience that forever changes theme park entertainment. Universal’s Epic Universe will take guests on a journey where beloved stories expand into vibrant lands – and where that journey is as much a part of their adventure as the ultimate destination.

“Our new park represents the single-largest investment Comcast NBCUniversal has made in its theme park business and in Florida overall,” said Brian L. Roberts, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Comcast Corporation. “It reflects the tremendous excitement we have for the future of our theme park business and for our entire company’s future in Florida.”

The new theme park will also feature an entertainment center, hotels, shops, restaurants and more. It will be located within a larger 750-acre site that nearly doubles Universal’s total available acreage in Central Florida. Universal’s Epic Universe is just a few miles from the existing resort in Southwest Orange County. Specifically, it will be south of Sand Lake Road and east of Universal Boulevard.

“Our vision for Epic Universe is historic,” said Tom Williams, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for Universal Parks & Resorts. “It will build on everything we have done and become the most immersive and innovative theme park we have ever created. It is an investment in our business, our industry, our team members and our community.”

The new park was announced Thursday in an event attended by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, Tom Williams and Brian Roberts.

“We look forward to the new level of entertainment and innovation Universal’s Epic Universe will bring to one of our state’s most important industries,” said Governor DeSantis. “We look forward to Universal’s continued contribution to our state’s economic growth and development. And we are especially grateful for Universal’s partnership in improving Shingle Creek, which plays a critical role in serving the Everglades.”

“The investment Universal is making in our community and the benefit all of us will see is substantial,” said Mayor Demings. “This will benefit nearly every segment of our economy – from tourism to high-tech.”

Mayor Demings also spotlighted Universal’s role in the Kirkman Road extension. This is a 50/50 public-private partnership in which Universal is investing $160 million to extend Kirkman into the area where the new park will be located.

“The Kirkman extension will improve transportation through a busy and growing portion of our county and open up the entire area for additional development – including an important expansion of our Convention Center,” he said.

During the announcement, Governor DeSantis, Mayor Demings and Tom Williams released information about Universal’s economic contribution to the state and local economy.
Universal Orlando currently employees 25,000 people and will hire an additional 14,000 team members as part of Epic Universe, including professional, technical, culinary and other specialized positions. The company currently contributes more than $302 million in annual state and local taxes – a number that will nearly double when the new theme park opens.

The majority of the businesses Universal relies on are either regional firms or national firms with a large regional presence. An economic impact study for Universal conducted by UCF Economic Professor Sean Snaith found that Universal Orlando’s combined direct and indirect economic benefit to the Florida economy since Universal Studios opened in 1990 is $73 billion.

He also found that construction of the new park alone will contribute a total of $11.5 billion in direct and indirect economic benefit into the Florida economy.
More details about Universal’s Epic Universe will be revealed over time. For more information, visit UniversalOrlando.com.

[Tallahassee, Fla] Last week, the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) issued a statement clarifying that there are ‘no public health concerns’ in Walton or Okaloosa counties after a social media post claimed the waters off the Emerald Coast were the source of a bacterial infection. The post went viral and was shared more than 170,000 times, but the source of the post did not contact either of the counties or FDOH.

To help ensure the public has factual information, FDOH has distributed information about necrotizing fasciitis, the bacteria mentioned in the Facebook post.

Read the FDOH fact sheet here.

Visit HealthyOkaloosa.com and search “healthy beaches” to learn more about how Okaloosa County monitors water quality.

[Tampa, Fla] On August 1, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) Pinellas and Hillsborough chapters will host their 5^th Annual Luncheon with the Chairman event at Bascom’s Chop House in Clearwater. Alan Palmieri, FRLA Chairman, Co-owner and Partner of Marlow’s Tavern, will host the luncheon and help celebrate the event’s special honorary guest, Joseph Kadow, Executive Vice President of Bloomin’ Brands and founding member of Outback Steakhouse.

“This annual luncheon is a wonderful afternoon of education and celebration,” says FRLA Pinellas and Hillsborough Chapter Regional Director, Dannette Lynch. “We are so excited to hear from Chairman Palmieri on the future of the restaurant industry and to celebrate the 25-year career of Joe Kadow. Joe has not only been an involved member of FRLA, but he has also served on the Board of Directors for the National Restaurant Association. His career in the restaurant industry with Bloomin’ Brands is exemplary, and we are honored to have him with us.”

The 5^th Annual Luncheon with the Chairman meeting will also see FRLA Chairman Palmieri speak about his vision on the future of the restaurant industry which includes high retention, fully staffed businesses and fully trained and engaged staff to maximize success. Palmieri will also discuss the upcoming battle over minimum wage.

Tickets to the luncheon cost $25-35 and are available to purchase here.

For more information about the luncheon, contact FRLA Pinellas Chapter Regional Director, Dannette Lynch at 727-643-3404 or dannette@frla.org.

[Tampa, Fla] During the month of July, the Pinellas Chapter of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) will partake in their 2^nd Annual Christmas in July food drive. Partnering with RCS, whose mission is to feed the hungry, help families facing homelessness return to self-sufficiency and empower survivors of domestic abuse, FRLA Pinellas members will be collecting donations at their businesses to help contribute food to area food banks and pantries facing shortages.

“The summertime is the most critical time for food banks in the United Sates,” explains Pinellas Chapter Regional Director, Dannette Lynch. “Children are home for the summer, increasing the need for more food. Because of the higher demand, food shortages occur and a direct need for more donations increases. Our Christmas in July event encourages our local members to help give back to those in need in our community.”

The FRLA members who participate will receive donation barrels to store their donations throughout the month of July. The Association is encouraging businesses and members to decorate and gift-wrap their donation barrels, similar to how you would a Christmas present. Internally, The Pinellas Chapter will be holding a contest for the most food collected by a business.

For more information on the Christmas in July food drive, contact FRLA Pinellas Chapter Regional Director, Dannette Lynch at 727-643-3404 or dannette@frla.org.

The proposed ballot initiative to raise Florida’s minimum wage to $15 an hour has a lot of feel-good appeal, but behind all the warm and fuzzies lie a plethora of unintended consequences. An increase like this would have disastrous impacts on businesses and individuals alike.

If passed, this amendment would result in a 77 percent increase in labor costs in six years. Additionally, the proposed ballot initiative does nothing to address Florida’s tip credit, which is frozen at $3.02. So, if this proposed amendment makes it onto the ballot and is passed by voters, tipped employees will earn a cash wage of $11.98 an hour. The simple truth is the majority of Florida’s businesses cannot afford that increase, and the hospitality industry is no different. Business owners will be forced to find solutions to control costs, and these solutions will have a direct impact on our state’s 1.4 million hospitality workers. The most obvious solutions include reducing the number of employees, reducing the number of hours remaining employees work and seeking labor alternatives like automation.

When business owners are forced to make these tough choices to keep their doors open, everyone is hurt. Entry-level and opportunity jobs become more difficult to find, and the path to the middle class narrows. The men and women of the hospitality industry are literally the face of Florida’s tourism industry, and they are the ones who create the memorable experiences that keep visitors coming back. It is imperative that we preserve their jobs and protect the opportunities afforded to those who ensure our state is warm and welcoming for our guests.

We are already seeing a move to automation in states that have drastically increased their minimum wage, so it is more critical than ever that we band together to protect Florida’s hospitality jobs. Now is the time to act. Talk with your employees, your neighbors and your elected officials to educate them about how a 77 percent increase will impact us all. While a $15 an hour minimum wage may sound appealing, it is certainly not good for the people.

-Statement from Carol B. Dover, CEO & President of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association