Orlando Business Journal articles from January 1999

Orlando Business Journal archives from January 1999

Players lose touch of magic.(Orlando Magic players hit by NBA lockout)
January 29, 1999... ORLANDO - Only last year, Orlando Magic guard Anfernee Hardaway's smile was plastered on television sets all over the country. His alter ego, Little Penny, was a favorite in toy stores. He flirted with super model Tyra Banks in one...

State agrees to investigate HMO billings.(United HealthCare of Florida)
January 29, 1999... ORLANDO - State insurance officials are investigating the billing practices of one of Florida's largest managed care companies. At issue is whether United HealthCare of Florida is underpaying some doctors, a complaint made by the...

Sacked! Video crew sues NFL players.
January 29, 1999... DAYTONA BEACH - Super Bowl fireworks aren't restricted to the Pro Player Stadium in Miami. They're also crackling in U.S. District Court in downtown Orlando. Sportsolution Inc., has filed a five-count lawsuit alleging the National...

Gas wars heating up in ritzy southwest area.
January 29, 1999... ORLANDO - The new year's hottest residential real estate issue goes front and center before the Orange County board of commissioners next month. Roughly 100 residents of the upscale Conroy-Windermere neighborhoods are expected to pack...

Maternity leave, layoff spark civil complaint against Disney.(Walt Disney World Co.)
January 29, 1999... ORLANDO - It was bad enough getting laid off from her Walt Disney World secretarial job just three days before returning from maternity leave. But Lori A. McMahan says it was financially catastrophic to accept a supervisor's advice to...

Lake County pushes new sign rules.(Florida)
January 29, 1999... Proposed changes target 'visual blight' but worry some local businesses TAVARES - Lake County is poised to pass a revised commercial sign ordinance with sweeping consequences for businesses. Under the proposed ordinance, certain...

BellSouth joint venture to challenge phone market competitors.
January 29, 1999... As a way to counter competitors entering the local phone market, BellSouth Corp. has formed a joint venture to provide clients with data network management services. Atlanta-based BellSouth and information technology company EDS Corp.,...

Seminole County's ecotourism dreams.
January 29, 1999... Business is booming as visitors get back to nature at area parks, waterways For six generations, the St. John's River has been a centerpiece of Bob Hopkins' family life. He was raised on its banks and has lived on it for years. His...

Seminole: a classic example of a 'commuter economy.'.(Seminole County, Florida)
January 29, 1999... Seminole County is the second-largest county in the Orlando metropolitan statistical area (MSA) and ranks among Florida's top 10 counties in terms of absolute population and employment growth, according to the 1998 Seminole County Economic...

Sanford airport puts infrastructure in place to jump-start economy.(Orlando Sanford Airport)(Interview)
January 29, 1999... Orlando Sanford Airport is a key component in Seminole County's long-range economic development plan. From improving and expanding airport facilities to applying for a Foreign Trade Zone license, the Orlando Sanford Airport is looking to...

Economics 101: Seminole in midst of rapid growth spurt.(Seminole County, Florida)
January 29, 1999... A quick trip up the Interstate 4 corridor in Seminole County on any given afternoon around rush hour tells you one thing beyond any doubt: This county is on a tremendous growth spurt that has resulted in everything from an abundance of...

FOX falters, will close doors.(Florida Overland Express)
January 22, 1999... ORLANDO - The FOX is off the drawing board. Stunned by Gov. Jeb Bush's decision to withhold state funding for high-speed rail, the Florida Overland Express (FOX) is shuttering its Orlando headquarters, prompting reassignments and layoffs...

Airline gets ready to earn its wings.(Cardinal Airlines Inc.'s public stock offering plans)
January 22, 1999... Start-up Brevard venture plans public stock offering to raise nearly million MELBOURNE - Cardinal Airlines Inc. is hoping to take flight later this year with the help of a public stock offering. The fledgling company, based in...

Court deals blow to Osceola.(legality of the bond financing for the construction of the Osceola County Convention Center in Florida)
January 1, 1999... KISSIMMEE - In yet another blow to plans for an Osceola County Convention Center, the Florida Supreme Court has refused to speed up a hearing on questions surrounding bond financing for the project. The recent court decision could delay...

No news is bad news for local cable station.(dispute between Florida's News Channel and local cable television station, WNTO-Channel 26)
January 1, 1999... ALTAMONTE SPRINGS - Florida's News Channel claims it's being held hostage by local cable television station WNTO-Channel 26. The 24-hour news channel says WNTO agreed to begin airing its programming by October, but the TV station has...

Florida Y2K lawsuit may pave road for legal settlements.(class action lawsuit filed against Medical Manager Corp. on its year 2000 computer crisis liability)
January 1, 1999... MIAMI - Miami attorney Larry Silverman didn't wait until the clock struck midnight to settle his client's Year 2000 bug case. Silverman and co-counsel Steven Hartz have helped craft one of the first settlements reached in a Y2K lawsuit....

Ron Jon catches bus tour wave.(marketing strategy of Cocoa Beach, Florida-based Ron Jon Surf Shop for its chartered bus services)
January 1, 1999... Number of visitors arriving by coach doubled in 1998 COCOA BEACH - Ron Jon Surf Shop is riding a wave of success with Central Florida bus tour operators. In 1998, the number of tourists carted in on coaches to the colossal Cocoa...

An eye for design: Morris Architects thrives with an entertaining clientele.(Morris Architects Inc.)
January 1, 1999... Who doesn't love the thrill of Arnold Schwarzenegger's machine guns in 'Terminator 2, the wrath of the tornado in Twister or the high-speed racecars at Daytona USA? A local architectural firm in Orlando sure does. Morris Architects is an...

Year 2000-related problems pose tough questions for landlords.(impact of the year 2000 computer crisis in the commercial real estate and construction industries)
January 1, 1999... Unlike other industries, such as health care and banking, office software may not be a top concern for real estate professionals worried about the Y2K problem. Experts say much of the software used in the real estate industry won't fall...