In 2015, the Sunshine Economy asked a group of Miami technology leaders to imagine what the industry could look like in 2030. Six years, a global pandemic and one viral tweet later, the five people are even more convinced that Miami’s tech movement has arrived now.
COVID-19 shut down South Florida’s arts economy. Performances, concerts and productions came to a stop for artists and behind-the-scene workers. But, slowly, the curtain is rising again.
"Florida is a very important place for French investors," said France's Ambassador to the U.S. Philippe Étienne, during a visit for the launch of a French crew member from Kennedy Space Center to the International Space Station.
It has been more than a year since a cruise ship sailed from the U.S. with paying passengers. So when does Royal Caribbean International hope to be able to shove off from South Florida ports?
City National Bank of Florida was one of the most prolific lenders of government rescue money during the pandemic.
One year after the pandemic took hold of the economy, shutting down the hospitality industry and costing thousands of jobs, these business owners are fighting their way back. And in some cases, the future looks brighter now.
The state government pushed local school districts to reopen classrooms last fall sooner than elected school board members thought was safe. Some see it as the state standing up for parent choice, while others interpreted it as the state undermining local decision-making.
More than a million public school students in Florida are going to school through a screen. That may cost them and the U.S. economy in the decades to come.
During this special Class of COVID-19 edition of The Sunshine Economy, superintendents of South Florida school districts detail how they're trying to find thousands of students who aren't going to school — and what the consequences will be if they don't.
With the state facing a budget crunch thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, what has been the impact of the virus on the finances of local colleges and universities? Can schools keep tuition in check?
Star chef Marcus Samuelsson was determined to open a new restaurant in South Florida, even during a recession.
Millions of cruise ship passengers have been missing from PortMiami during the pandemic, but parts of the port are busier than ever.
After more than 25 years, Cuba is doing away with its dual currency system and getting rid of the Cuban Convertible Peso. What does the change mean for Cubans and for Cuban-Americans trying to help family and friends on the island?
The global search for COVID-19 vaccines has included South Florida as drug companies use clinical research companies here to find, manage, and follow local volunteers.
COVID-19 vaccines may be coming, but there remains big demand for personal protective equipment like masks, especially N95 masks. South Florida manufacturer Demetech has pivoted during the pandemic to compete in the global mask market.
Since September, the Sunshine Economy has been following how a baker, banker and bartender have been finding their way through the pandemic economy for themselves and their businesses.
For months, since the pandemic started, South Florida has been ranked one of the most food insecure areas of the country. About a half million people report sometimes or often not having enough to eat, and most of them report losing income, according to U.S. Census Bureau surveys.
The clock has been ticking for months on whether or not Congress will find a compromise on another round of federal government stimulus spending, and whether or not local governments could see some direct help.
As the battle against COVID-19 wears on, what’s the new normal? How could the pandemic reshape work and wages? How could it influence health care and the tourism industry?
The political rhetoric this election is red hot and often downright rude. But is there a business cost from incivility? Research shows rudeness is contagious. What is the effect on commerce?
Don Peebles' real estate career in South Florida began because of racial tension and economic inclusion 25 years ago – a theme that has emerged again in the aftermath of the George Floyd killing. Peebles wants to diversify his industry as he's optimistic about the post-pandemic recovery.
Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic on the need for more economic stimulus from the federal government, the uneven rebound, and a more vocal central bank on race and the economy.
The American job market went from one of the strongest into a deep recession in a matter of a couple of weeks this spring. Tens of millions of the country’s youngest workers were just getting started.
Winter can’t come fast enough for South Florida’s hotels. The industry is struggling with fewer people traveling. Demand remains low in most places with tourism and business travel still way down.
Tens of thousands of jobs have been lost, restaurants have closed permanently while others struggle to get by on a fraction of their business as they slowly and partially reopen. How can the industry bounce back?
Ten days into the new school year the Miami-Dade County Public School Board voted to stop using troubled virtual classroom software from K12. The CEO responds to critics.
Sheng Guo was among the first people in South Florida to experience the impact of COVID-19. He grew up near Wuhan, China, where the virus started. He lives in Weston now, but his parents and grandmother still live close to Wuhan. Guo is an economics instructor at FIU.
The new normal is here. Florida began a full phase one reopening with restaurant dining rooms, shopping malls and hotels reopening with limitations on Monday.
Shipmonk was used to hiring people fast to fill jobs in its expanding Fort Lauderdale wareshouse. Since COVID-19 hit, the company has been telling some job applicants to show up for their first day of work without even an interview.
Pilar Guzman Zavala and Bill Feinberg own very different companies, but both have been hit by COVID-19. Dozens of employees between them have been brought back thanks to emergency borrowing programs instituted to help companies keep people employed.
