In a governmental twist on the old adage “If you can’t beat them, join them,” St. Johns County is meeting all the building underway — and still to come — with some new construction of its own. Commissioners approved an agreement with Passero Associates for design services for a new permit center building to handle […]Read More
Major League Baseball hurlers spend six weeks in Spring Training getting ready to pitch in the regular season. But where can small-business owners go to get primed for success? For St. Johns County entrepreneurs the answer is the Pitch Factory. A six-week workshop presented by the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce in partnership with […]Read More
In what is becoming the Florida Legislature’s annual rite of spring, Visit Florida, the state’s tourism marketing arm, is again under fire from lawmakers. House Bill 7053, introduced last month, would dramatically change the way tourism development efforts are funded in the Sunshine State. As it stands now, the legislation would require large counties to […]Read More
Residents of Connecticut looking for warmer temperatures and ocean breezes will soon have a direct route to a new haven. Avelo Airlines begins twice-weekly service from New Haven, Connecticut, to Daytona Beach International Airport June 22, becoming the first low-fare airline to bring flights to Volusia County’s airport. “We are proud to be the newest […]Read More
City officials are gearing up to apply for a Small Cities Community Development Block Grant to help boost neighborhoods and economic growth with a particular emphasis on West Augustine. At a recent City Commission meeting, Corey Sakryd, deputy director of General Services, and Eric Walters, grants administration coordinator, said the current grant application cycle closes […]Read More
Reports of St. Johns County’s growth have not been greatly exaggerated. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Vintage 2022 Estimates, the county’s population passed the 300,000 mark last year, coming in at 306,841, up from 293,175 in 2021. Statewide, Florida showed up on both ends of the spectrum with three counties – Polk, Lee and […]Read More
St. Johns County business leaders, entrepreneurs and officials recently gathered at the Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village. They weren’t there to work on their short game but on a more important long game: exporting. The first St. Johns Chamber’s Economic Development Council Quarterly Breakfast of 2023 was all about the export market and what […]Read More
At or near the top of the list of important issues for most local governments and business organizations you are likely to find economic development as a high priority, and the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce is no different. But rather than simply talking about it, the Chamber, through its Economic Development Council, is […]Read More
It’s official. St. Augustine is not only the oldest city in the country, it’s the best small town in the South. That’s according to Southern Living magazine’s 50 Best Small Towns in the South list. The Ancient City shares the list with several other well-known destinations, including Gatlinburg, Tennessee, Beaufort, South Carolina and Sanibel, Florida. […]Read More
After a 21-minute delay waiting to get a quorum, the St. Johns County Tourist Development Council quickly got down to business on several sports tourism grant requests. TDC members reviewed six requests totaling $72,500 for a series of events running through June, with all but one approved unanimously. TDC member Troy Blevins raised some concerns […]Read More