Daily Record Financial News &
Thursday, November 30, 2017
Vol. 105, No. 011 • One Section
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Renner: Amazon should want to be here Palm Coast lawmaker says he opposes using taxpayer incentives to recruit companies.
By David Cawton Staff Writer Amazon.com should want to bring its second North American headquarters to Florida without any taxpayer-backed financial incentives, Rep. Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, said Wednesday. Speaking to the Southside Business Men’s Club, Renner said Amazon instead should consider Florida’s “permanent incentives,” such as no state income tax, a growing employee base and the state’s strong finan-
cial position. “Amazon should want to be in Florida,” Renner said. “It’s a great place to do business and, among other reasons, it’s the gateway to Latin America.” In September, Seattle-based Amazon announced it was soliciting bids from cities for a second North American headquarters, promising a $5 billion capital investment and 50,000 jobs with six-figure salaries over the next decade. Renner
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Photo by Karen Brune Mathis
Rep. Paul Renner spoke Wednesday at the Southside Business Men’s Club.
‘A big deal for our region’
New Mayo lung center also designed as hub for startups, bio-innovation.
Special to the Daily Record
The lung-restoration center approved for construction at Mayo Clinic also will provide space for bio-innovation projects.
By Karen Brune Mathis Editor
M
ayo Clinic and United Therapeutics Corp.’s new lung center not only will restore the critical organs for transplantation, but the building also will provide space for a bioinnovation hub. The city approved the permit last week for Whiting-Turner Contracting Co. to build the $32.4 million construction project for the Lung Biotechnology PBC center. “That’s a big deal for our region,” said Mayo cardiologist Charles Bruce in a Nov. 13 presen-
tation to the Economic Roundtable of Jacksonville. Bruce is associate medical director of Mayo’s Office of Business Development of Mayo Clinic Ventures and director for business development in the Center of Regenerative Medicine. Bruce said the lung facility should open in April or May 2019. “These lungs are not suitable for transplantation, and there’s a dire need for lung transplants. It’s a waste, seeing all these lungs just being thrown away,” he said. Bruce said the CEO of United TherapeuLung
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“We’re hoping that by the end of 2019 that we’ll have 20 to 25 startup companies there.” Charles Bruce Mayo Clinic cardiologist
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The Cawton Report: Visit Jacksonville earns praise Group helped convention find new home nearby after Hurricane Irma struck. Public
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