FYI Miami


		Week of March 7, 2002


	Airport's transportation hub may depend on finding funds for people mover
	Miami-Dade hotel business above US, state averages
	Park West club owners score city officials for lack of support
	Coconut Grove's Ritz-Carlton Hotel again delays opening
	Court orders Miami to reopen auto race deal; promoter reschedules Grand Prix event
	Statistics, business leaders show small firms are big in South Florida
	Florida trade program will take entrepreneurs to 15 Latin American cities

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FYI Miami is a weekly feature of Miami Today, keeping readers ahead of the news. Here are highlights from the most current edition.

   BEACH REPORT: A City of Miami Beach blue ribbon task force on tourism Monday approved unanimously a report to the city commission, a document that changed only slightly from a draft submitted last week. Recommendations include marketing strategies, cleanup plans and suggestions to make parking easier. The draft will be presented at a public workshop in April. In a summary, task force Chair Stuart Blumberg said the group identified public and private entities that should be tapped to follow through on the recommendations. "We strongly believe in having the ability to find additional funding for many of our proposals," he wrote. "In regard to implementation, which is just as critical as funding, we don't want this report to sit on a shelf as in the case of other reports, not just by Miami Beach, but historically throughout our county and state."
   OMNI FIRE: Miami city commissioners are expected to discuss today (3/7) renaming of the Omni Area Media District to Fire Station No. 2 Motion Picture District. The new name would be to recognize a historic fire station in the district. The city is trying to define a new use for the structure, which needs to be restored.
   NET EFFECT: Miami city commissioners are also due to discuss today (3/7) moving the downtown Neighborhood Enhancement Team, or NET office, a city's satellite administrative center, to Technology Center of the Americas, 50 NE Ninth St. The deal calls for the city to lease 1,526 square feet of office space at an annual rent of $1 for five years.
   ASIAN LOCATIONS: Two international companies have established operations in Miami-Dade County, the Beacon Council reports. Mini-blinds manufacturer Nien Made USA of Taiwan set up shop at 2450 W 78th St., Hialeah, where the company plans to add 150 jobs and invest $1 million locally over three years. Industrial sewing machine manufacturer Pegasus Corporation America of Japan took space at 2120 NW 92nd Ave. Executives intend to add 18 jobs and invest $2.6 million over three years. Beacon Council spokeswoman Novia Lilly said drawing two Asian companies at once was not the result of any particular push. "That region has always been a region we've been targeting," she said. "We just happened to pull them now."
   INTERNATIONAL BRANCH: The International Bank of Miami, bought land on Northwest 25th Street and 87th Avenue in the Doral area to open it first branch. The bank, operating in South Florida since 1964, has headquarters in Coral Gables. The branch is to open in first quarter 2003. Details: (305) 250-7222.
   GLOBAL POST: Global Spectrum, a public assembly facility management firm, has promoted Robert Murray Jr. to general manager of the James L. Knight International Center, 400 SE Second Ave. Mr. Murray succeeds David Touhey, named by Global Spectrum general manager of the new Ryder Center at the University of Miami. Global Spectrum, a division of Comcast-Spectacor of Philadelphia, has been managing Miami's Knight Center since 1999.
   FEATHERED CAP: Miami International Airport recently received the Federal Aviation Administration Southern Region's "Feather in the Cap" Award for 2001. The award is presented to commercial airports that have achieved a Zero Discrepancy Rating for five consecutive years during the FAA's Part 139 annual inspection. "Safety has always been our top priority at Miami International Airport. As a world-class airport, it remains our top priority," said Miami-Dade County Manager Steve Shiver for the occasion.
   UNIT SALES: Marcus & Millichap announced the sale of the 51-unit Sunny Plaza Apartments, 14425 NE Sixth Ave., North Miami for $1.9 million to Rent Suite Homes, and 182-unit Overtown Apartments, 419-29 NW Eighth St., to Eighth Street Association for $1.65 million. Daniel F. Draizin and Evan P. Kristol with Marcus & Millichap represented both parties in the Sunny Plaza transaction. Gregory P. Solento handled the Overtown deal.
   HUD FUNDS: Miami-Dade County gets more than $29.8 million in federal assistance to promote affordable housing, help the homeless and stimulate the local economy from the department of US Housing & Urban Development. Included, said a federal spokesperson, is more than $22.6 million in community development block grants, in excess of $6.4 million for affordable housing through the Home Investment Partnership Program and $783,000 in homeless assistance.
   UM POST: Edward J. Rosasco was appointed to serve as director of the Executive MBA Health Administration & Policy Program at the University of Miami's School of Business Administration. Dr. Rosasco, who is also executive director for the Alzheimer's Association of South Florida, was president and CEO of Mercy Hospital for 18 years. In his new role, publicists said, Dr. Rosasco will work with Harold W. Berkman, vice dean for graduate business programs, to oversee weekend programs for health professionals. Before joining Mercy, Dr. Rosasco was executive director of Brooklyn Hospital in New York and previously was senior vice president of St. Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center in New York. He has been adjunct professor at Long Island University and the New School for Social Research.
   AIRPORT CARTS: The Miami-Dade Aviation Department announced effective Monday self-service luggage carts available in the Federal Inspection Services area at Miami International Airport can be taken outside the area, In the past the carts had to be surrendered when a user left the inspection area.
   FIRM CHANGE: The law firm Sacher Zelman et al., 1401 Brickell Ave., changed its name to Sacher Zelman Van Sant Paul Beiley Hartman Terzo & Waldman with the addition of Frank P. Terzo, who will head and expand the firm's bankruptcy department.
   GAY GALA: The Miami-Dade County Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce will hold its first gala at 6:30 p.m. March 21 in the Eden Roc Renaissance Resort & Spa, 4525 Collins Ave. Michael Wilke, executive director of The Commercial Closet, which tracks the portrayal of gays and lesbians in marketing, is featured speaker. Cost is $100. Details: (305) 534-3336.

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