Volusia County and the Daytona Beach Region are enjoying explosive growth not seen in a long time. We wanted to highlight this growth and shine a spotlight on some examples and a couple of engines. Our cover story, “Diamonds in the Rough: Turning Eyesores Into Gems”, is about Summit Hospitality and their launch of the Daytona Beach Hard Rock Hotel. An iconic brand, Hard Rock is not only a welcome addition to the oceanfront but it will also be a magnet for additional investments in our beach communities. But the real story is how the Summit team took the former Desert Inn and transformed it into a “Gem.”

John Albright and Consolidated Tomoka have clearly been an engine of growth for the Region and made a real difference. The article on page 10 tells that story. The L. Gayle Lemerand Student Center being built will likely become an iconic structure adding to the other recent investments on International Speedway Blvd. Team Volusia’s Chair Dwight DuRant authors our Road Ahead article in this issue. I agree with his statement “Team Volusia is doing its part to fuel the local economy…”

We hope this “Growth On The Rise!” issue instills a sense of pride and accomplishment for what has occurred so far in our community and confidence that we collectively have the ability to maintain our momentum if we continue to work together and support those who are leading the charge.

As a separate note, John Guthrie has agreed to assume the role of Editor beginning with the work that has started to publish our November issue, The Future of Tourism. He has served for the past two years as the Chair of the Evolve Editorial Advisory Committee. John has a vision for and commitment to the success of Evolve that is evident and appreciated by us all.