News Release Category: Industry News

FRLA Congratulates Newly Announced CEO for the National Restaurant Association

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

May 15, 2020

TALLAHASSEE – Today, Tom Bené was announced as the new President and CEO of the National Restaurant Association (NRA), the largest food service trade association in the world representing more than 500,000 restaurant businesses. He will also serve as CEO of NRA’s Educational Foundation, which works to attract, empower, and advance today’s and tomorrow’s restaurant and food service workforce.

Mr. Bené most recently served as Chairman, President, and CEO of Sysco Corporation and was previously President of PepsiCo Foodservices.

“On behalf of more than 57,000 public food service establishments across Florida, I want to extend congratulations to Tom Bené for his appointment as President and CEO of the National Restaurant Association,” said Carol Dover, President & CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “Tom is known for his extraordinary leadership, character, and determination, and he is the right person to lead us through recovery. We look forward to continuing our great relationship with the NRA as we work to rebuild from the devasting impacts that COVID-19 has had on our industry.”

About FRLA: The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) is Florida’s premier non-profit hospitality industry trade association. Founded in 1946 as the Florida Restaurant Association, FRLA merged with the Florida Hotel and Motel Association in 2006. FRLA’s more than 10,000 members include independent hoteliers and restaurateurs, household name franchises, theme parks and suppliers. The association’s mission is to protect, educate and promote Florida’s $111.7 billion hospitality industry which represents 1.5 million employees. Dedicated to safeguarding the needs of the membership, FRLA provides legislative advocacy to ensure the voices of its members are heard and their interests are protected. The association offers regulatory compliance and food safety training through SafeStaff® and FRLA’s subsidiary, RCS Training. The FRLA Educational Foundation provides industry-developed, career-building high school programs throughout the state.

 

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FRLA Shares FAQs for Re-Opening Phase 1

On Monday, May 4, Phase 1 of Governor DeSantis’ Re-Open Florida plan will begin. Issued in Executive Order 20-112, the “Safe. Smart. Step-by-Step.” plan will gradually re-open Florida businesses. The Executive Order permits restaurants in all counties except for Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach to open indoor seating at 25% capacity with six-foot distancing between tables and parties no larger than 10. It also allows for outdoor seating with appropriate social distancing. FRLA developed FAQs to assist with member questions for re-opening. They are available here.

 

 

FRLA Statement on Governor Ron DeSantis’ Plan for Florida’s Recovery: “Safe. Smart. Step-by-Step.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 29, 2020

MEDIA CONTACT:
Ashley Chambers
AChambers@FRLA.org

TALLAHASSEE – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-112 and announced a gradual re-opening of Florida businesses beginning Monday, May 4, in all Florida counties except for Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, and Broward, which will be phased in at a later date.

The Executive Order permits restaurants to open indoor seating at 25% capacity with six-foot distancing between tables and parties no larger than 10. It also allows for outdoor seating with appropriate social distancing.

“I want to thank Governor DeSantis for his measured and thoughtful approach to safely re-opening Florida businesses,” said Carol Dover, President & CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “Our hospitality industry is eager to welcome guests, within social distancing guidelines, and get back to what we are so good at – creating memorable experiences for those we serve. We have full confidence that Governor DeSantis and this Administration will lead the tourism state we are so proud of back to economic vitality.”

To read the full Executive Order and the Executive Office of the Governor FAQs, click here. For FRLA FAQs on re-opening, click here.

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Florida Department of Revenue Issues Emergency Order for Corporate Income Taxes

Department of Revenue Extends Due Dates for Certain Corporate Income Tax Returns and Payments

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Department of Revenue Executive Director Jim Zingale issued an emergency order to extend filing deadlines for certain Florida corporate income tax (CIT) payments and returns. Order of Emergency Waiver/Deviation #20-52-DOR-003 extends the following due dates:

For entities with a fiscal year ending December 31, 2019:

  • The May 1, 2020, due date for Florida CIT returns is extended to August 3, 2020.
  • The May 1, 2020, due date for Florida CIT payments is extended to June 1, 2020.
  • The due date to submit a request for extension of time to file the return and make any tentative payment is extended to June 1, 2020.

For entities with a fiscal year ending January 31, 2020:

  • The June 1, 2020, due date for Florida CIT returns is extended to August 3, 2020.
  • The June 1, 2020, due date for Florida CIT payments or to submit a request for extension of time to file remains June 1, 2020.

For entities with a fiscal year ending February 29, 2020:

  • The July 1, 2020, due date for Florida CIT returns is extended to August 3, 2020.
  • The July 1, 2020, due date for Florida CIT payments or to submit a request for extension of time to file remains July 1, 2020.

Florida CIT payments should be based on the corporation’s best estimate of the amount that would be due with the returns.

Although the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) extended the due dates for all federal CIT payments, this emergency order does not change the current due dates for Florida CIT estimated payments due between April 1, 2020 and July 15, 2020.

Florida CIT produces $2.8 billion annually and funds more than 8.2% of Florida’s General Revenue programs. Final Florida CIT returns, including requests for an extension of time to file, and associated payments are normally due on the first day of the fifth month following the close of a corporation’s fiscal year or, for entities with fiscal years ending June 30, the first day of the fourth month following the close of a corporation’s fiscal year.

On March 9, 2020, Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order Number 20-52, declaring a state of emergency in response to the recent COVID-19 outbreak. The Department has implemented the filing date extensions pursuant to subsection 213.055(2), F.S., which authorizes the Executive Director of the Department of Revenue to carry out certain actions during a declared state of emergency.

On Thursday, April 9, 2020, the IRS extended the due dates for federal CIT returns and payments to July 15, 2020.

For taxpayers who have additional questions, the Department has established a dedicated team to address tax-related issues pertaining to COVID-19 and created an email address, COVID19TAXHELP@floridarevenue.com. Visit the Department’s webpage for COVID-19 updates. For more information or to sign up for email updates from the Department of Revenue, visit floridarevenue.com.

Contact: Bethany Wester, Interim Communications Director
communications@floridarevenue.com | 850.617.8214

FRLA Releases Re-Opening Guidance for Restaurants and Hotels

Today, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) released Re-Opening Guidance for Restaurants and Hotels in Florida. These standards were developed in consultation with the National Restaurant Association and the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and have been shared with Governor DeSantis’ Re-Open Florida Task Force Executive Committee.

COVID-19 has devastated Florida’s hospitality and tourism industries, and while we are focused on public health, our goal is to reopen Florida based on scientific evidence and proper safety measures that inspire consumer confidence.
Governor DeSantis’ Re-Open Florida Task Force has launched a public comment submission portal open to all Floridians and asked for public feedback. We encourage you to visit the portal to share your thoughts on safely re-opening Florida businesses and getting our industry on track to recovery.

SBA Issues Interim Final Rule: Business Loan Program Temporary Changes & Paycheck Protection Program

U.S. Department of the Treasury 
Office of Public Affairs

 

Press Release:  April 24, 2020

Contact: Treasury Public Affairs, (202) 622-2960

Additional Guidance Regarding the Paycheck Protection Program

 All:

Please be advised that today we released additional guidance regarding the Paycheck Protection Program:

An FAQ document has also been released by SBA and is available here.

For more information and updates, visit Treasury.gov/CARES and SBA.gov/PaycheckProtection

 

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FRLA Members Join Governor DeSantis’ Re-Open Florida Task Force to Get Florida Safely Back to Work

 

 CONTACT: achambers@frla.org

 

TALLAHASSEE – More than a dozen members of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association (FRLA) have joined Governor Ron DeSantis’ initiative to re-open Florida’s economy and are participating daily in discussions to get Florida safely back to work. Members were appointed by the Governor to his Re-Open Florida Executive Task Force and the Industry Working Group on Tourism, Construction, Real Estate, Recreation, Retail, and Transportation.

“FRLA and our members are proud to stand with Governor DeSantis to develop and implement strategies that safely re-open our state,” said Carol Dover, President & CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “Hospitality and tourism are the economic engine of Florida, and it is important that we work together to thoughtfully and carefully re-open, revitalize our industry, get our teams employed again, and bolster our economy. Through his Re-Open Florida Task Force, Governor DeSantis is walking the walk and demonstrating his commitment to the safety of all Floridians, and we applaud him for his leadership.”

 

FRLA Members Participating on the Task Force include the following:

  • Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, Capt. Anderson’s Restaurant and Waterfront Market
  • Josh D’Amaro, President, Walt Disney World Resort
  • John Sprouls, CEO, Universal Orlando Resort, Executive Vice President, Universal Parks & Resorts
  • Eric Silagy, President & CEO, Florida Power & Light Company
  • Sheldon Suga, Chairman, Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, and VP/Regional Managing Director. Hawks Cay Resort
  • José Cil, CEO, Restaurant Brands International
  • Tim Petrillo, Co-Founder & CEO, The Restaurant People
  • Monesia Brown, Director of Public Affairs and Government Relations, Walmart
  • Blake Casper, CEO, Caspers Company
  • Amy Schwartz, Owner, Bella Bella Restaurant
  • Collier Merrill, President, Merrill Land Company
  • Philip Goldfarb, President & COO, Fontainebleau Miami Beach
  • John Tolbert, President & Managing Director, Boca Resort and Club
  • Dev Motwani, President & CEO, Merrimac Ventures
  • Cody Kahn, Owner, Holiday Inn Resort
  • Gary Lester, Vice President, The Villages for Community Relations

 

Jose Cil, CEO of Restaurant Brands International, which owns the Burger King®, Tim Hortons® and Popeyes® brands.

“As a native Floridian, I am proud to be a part of the team working with Governor DeSantis and the great state of Florida to re-open the state safely and quickly. We have been adjusting to this new COVID world in all of our restaurants around the US and globally, which uniquely positions us to help Florida citizens and businesses. We and our restaurant operators together have over 750 restaurants in Florida, and 10,000 in the United States, that employ thousands of people. RBI is proud to be a part of the solution to flatten the curve and bring the economy back to where it once was.”

 Sheldon Suga, Chairman of the Board, Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association

“I feel very honored to have been appointed by Governor DeSantis to the important working group on the Re-Open Florida Task Force. I know the importance of representing the membership of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association and having a strong plan to navigate our way back into running our businesses. Our utmost focus, as always, has to be the safety of our employees and guests.”

Tim Petrillo, Co-Founder & CEO, The Restaurant People

“I would like to thank Governor DeSantis for his leadership during this very trying time. I am pleased to serve on the task force to help get the State open for business. We need to be thoughtful, diligent and thorough as we attempt to give life back to our economy without the putting the health of our citizens at risk.” 

Monesia Brown, Director of Public Affairs and Government Relations, Walmart

“It’s an honor to be representing Walmart and our industry on Governor DeSantis’ task force to re-open Florida. Over the last few months, Walmart has supported COVID-19 response efforts on a state and federal level. In Florida, our 380-plus stores and more than 100,000 associates play an important role in our community and we’ve worked hard to support them while they serve our customers during this uncertain time. We look forward to helping the Governor and his team navigate this next phase of response and, eventually, a return to normal.”

Philip Goldfarb, President & COO, Fontainebleau Miami Beach

“I am honored to serve on the Governor’s Re-Open Florida Task Force. Tourism has always been the lifeblood of Florida. It is now more important than ever that we come together and collaborate on a strategic plan to re-open our state in the safest way possible.”

 Collier Merrill, President of Merrill Land Company and President of Great Southern Restaurants

“I applaud Governor DeSantis for his great leadership, support, and guidance during these unprecedented times. As a proud member of FRLA, I am grateful for the association’s excellent job of providing us with resources, advocacy, and constant communication. At Great Southern Restaurants, our main focus is aligned directly with the Governor and FRLA – safety for our employees and the guests we serve as we get back to business. It is so impressive to see all Floridians working together during this difficult time and I look forward to Florida’s renaissance.”

John Tolbert, President & Managing Director, Boca Raton Resort & Club

“It is truly an honor to be part of the Governor’s Re-Open Florida Task Force with so many of my colleagues from the lodging and restaurant industries. This has been an incredibly trying time for all of us, especially in the hospitality and other effected industries, but I’m confident that our best days are ahead of us. We are resilient and although it may take some time, we will come back stronger than ever before, creating new employment opportunities as well as experiences for our members and guests.”

 Dev Motwani, President & CEO, Merrimac Ventures

“I appreciate Governor DeSantis’ leadership and focus on re-opening Florida’s economy in a safe and thoughtful manner, and thank him for giving me and others in the hospitality industry the opportunity to provide input and feedback on how we might reopen our businesses and the economy in such a way.   In the hospitality industry it’s important we ensure a safe environment for both our guests and employees.   That’s why it’s so important we provide our industry insight and experiences to his office as his team focuses on The next phase of getting our economy back open in a way that protects FL residents while getting our employees back to work.”

Amy Schwartz, Owner, Bella Bella

“I am honored for the opportunity to represent independent restaurants and will work diligently for our combined success in re-opening Florida.”

Blake Casper, CEO, Caspers Company

“We are focused on re-opening Florida as safely and quickly as possible. Our hospitality industry looks forward to welcoming back our guests and getting back to work.”

 

For more information on Governor DeSantis’ Re-Open Florida Task Force, please visit https://www.flgov.com/COVID-19. Please visit https://frla.org/ for additional FRLA COVID-19 industry updates or resources.

 

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Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Awards More Than 1,000 Small Business Bridge Loans

Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity announced more than 1,000 small businesses have been awarded more than $49 million from the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan. The bridge loan program, managed by DEO, provides short-term, interest-free loans to small businesses that experienced economic injury from COVID-19. Additionally, DEO announced the availability of business resources to help businesses recovering from the economic impacts resulting from COVID-19.

“We appreciate Governor DeSantis’ steadfast commitment to helping small businesses sustain the economic impacts created by COVID-19,” said Ken Lawson, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. “We are proud to stand with Florida businesses by providing them with additional resources during these challenging times. We appreciate the help of our Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan partners, Florida Small Business Development Center and Florida First Capital Finance Corporation, for working diligently to process applications and provide loans as quickly as possible.”

Since the application period opened on March 17, DEO has received more than 38,000 applications for the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan. As of Friday, April 10, 2020, more than 1,000 applications have been approved totaling more than $49 million.

DEO will continue to review all applications that are received online or postmarked by Monday, April 13, 2020. DEO and its Emergency Bridge Loan partners will continue to quickly and efficiently review, approve and provide loans to Florida businesses affected by the economic impacts of COVID-19 until available funds are expended. Businesses who are looking for information about the status of their application should visit www.FloridaJobs.org/COVID-19 and select Check Application Status under Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan to sign-in to your account.

Governor DeSantis and DEO are encouraging businesses to utilize other state and federal business loan resources that are currently available to Florida businesses. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers various loan programs to small businesses including the newly launched Paycheck Protection Program and the Debt Relief Program through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, as well as the established Economic Injury Disaster Loan. Various state and federal loan programs available to affected businesses include the following:

SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan and Loan Advance Program

The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and Loan Advance program provides small businesses with working capital loans up to $2 million that can provide vital economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue businesses may be experiencing. The EIDL allows for an advance of up to $10,000.

Paycheck Protection Program

The Paycheck Protection Program is a loan designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses with fewer than 500 employees to keep their workers on the payroll. The program provides eight weeks of cash-flow assistance through 100 percent federally guaranteed loans. SBA will forgive a portion of the loan if all employees are kept on the payroll for eight weeks and the money is used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest or utilities.

SBA Debt Relief

The SBA Debt Relief program will provide a reprieve to small businesses as they overcome the challenges created by this health crisis. Under this program the SBA will pay the principal and interest of new 7(a) loans issued prior to September 27, 2020. The SBA will also pay the principal and interest of current 7(a) loans for a period of six months.

Rebuild Florida Business Loan Fund

The Rebuild Florida Business Loan Fund provides financing to assist businesses with resiliency efforts. The funds will address the current gap in available, affordable capital for businesses that can be used for inventory purchases, construction, working capital, equipment financing and more

Florida Small Business Loan Program

The Florida Small Business Loan Program is available to qualified businesses that demonstrate adequate historical and/or proposed cash flow coverage and other credit underwriting metrics. The loan proceeds must be used for a business purpose, which includes, but is not limited to: startup costs, working capital, business procurement, franchise fees, equipment, inventory, as well as the purchase, construction renovation or tenant improvements of an eligible place of business that is not for passive real estate investment purposes. Loan amounts range from $250,000 to $5,000,000.

Black Business Loan Program

The Black Business Loan program (BBLP) offers alternative lending solutions to Florida-based black owned small businesses by providing short-term loans and technical assistance.

Microfinance Guarantee Program

The Microfinance Guarantee Program is available to stimulate access to credit for entrepreneurs and small businesses in Florida by providing targeted guarantees to loans made to such entrepreneurs and small businesses. Funds appropriated to the program must be reinvested and maintained as a long-term and stable source of funding for the program.

For a comprehensive overview of all federal and state resources available to small businesses impacted by COVID-19, please visit Floridajobs.org/COVID-19. You may also call 833-832-4494 for other inquiries regarding the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan.

About DEO

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity combines the state’s economic, workforce and community development efforts, expediting economic development projects to fuel job creation in competitive communities and promote economic resiliency. For more information, including valuable resources for employers and job seekers, please visit www.floridajobs.org.

 

National Restaurant Association Measures COVID-19 Impact

The National Restaurant Association is collecting information on the economic impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The National Restaurant Association Research Group has developed a survey designed to continue to collect important data for their ongoing communications and advocacy activities regarding Coronavirus. All information provided is anonymous and confidential.

Restaurant operators with multiple restaurants are asked to complete a separate survey for each location. This will provide data to analyze the impact on a state level. If you wish to only complete one survey, please choose your primary restaurant for this survey.

Click here to take the survey. Please email Bruce Grindy at bgrindy@restaurant.org if you have any questions.