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Orlando FL Business and Commercial Law Blog

LDS Church about to become biggest private landowner in Florida

As residents of the Orlando area know, the state of Florida is teeming with people. We continue to grow in population every decade -- while, of course, the physical size of our state stays the same. Even though there is, by definition, a finite amount of real estate available, that doesn't mean that some successful companies have been able to acquire a lot of it -- including huge chunks of commercial real estate.

A prime example of this is the efforts of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, also known as the LDS Church -- and, as it is known to even more people, the Mormon church. Much as the growth in the population of Florida shows few signs of slowing down, membership in the LDS Church continues to grow year after year. The church is known for its varied -- and generally successful -- business investments all over the world.

Corkcicle inventors find success out of their Orlando home base

Many people in the Orlando area have dreams of making it big with an invention that becomes a must-have for people around the country. While dreams are one thing, making them into reality is quite another. Aside from all the legal requirements for setting up a business, coming up with the idea to breed success as an entrepreneur is often more than what most people are able to do.

Now and again, however, there are success stories. One extremely successful product comes from a successful Orlando company. The product is called the Corkcicle, which is a device used to keep wine cold without the rather cumbersome act of using an ice bucket.

Baskin-Robbins making a move to expand in Florida

We have discussed on our blog about how businesses have the potential to expand quickly through franchising. Some of the most successful businesses in the country -- think McDonald's, for example -- have grown quickly through having a franchise in thousands of places around the U.S. Now, a brand that used to be somewhat ubiquitous around the country is having a resurgence and is looking for Florida businessmen and women to join them.

The brand is Baskin-Robbins, known to millions of Americans for its 31 flavors of ice cream. While the name may not be as famous as it once was, it's still a powerful brand. There may be many people looking to get in on the Florida market; the company says it is planning to get 15 to 20 new stores going within the next several years.

Some Florida businesses find buying office space is better option

For many Orlando business owners, the decision to seek commercial real estate can have long-lasting effects on a business. One of the most crucial decisions is one of the first that has to be made: rent, or buy?

In some places in Florida, the answer has been "buy." While renting commercial real estate might seem like a more flexible option, in many cases, renting and buying cost basically the same every month. Of course, by purchasing rather than renting, businesses have the added benefit of building equity.

Florida artist says buyer of 9/11 art violated their contract

When a Florida business is involved with another entity, much can be settled by looking at the contract between the two parties. And when the issue turns into a full-blown contract dispute, it may be in the parties' best interest to consult with a business law attorney for assistance.

A curious situation is now playing out between a Florida artist and the head of a charity group called the American Fallen Warrior Memorial Foundation. At stake is a 6.5-ton sculpture constructed from concrete salvaged from the remains of the World Trade Center after Sept. 11, 2001. The artist says the group reneged on its deal to pay her $225,000 for the sculpture. The group was going to place it at a memorial in Kansas that has yet to be built; it planned to display the art at a local fire station in the interim.

PDQ restaurants expanding, well, pretty darn quickly

As many of our Orlando readers know, finding a successful niche in the restaurant business can be difficult. Large numbers of new restaurants fail every year, due to strong competition, poor business planning, inferior locations or some other factor. So when a relatively new restaurant is thriving and expanding in a hurry, it's worth writing about on our Orlando business law blog.

The restaurant in question is PDQ, which it says stands for "People Dedicated to Quality." However, for as fast as it seems to be growing, it might as well stand for Pretty Darn Quick. The chain, based in Tampa, opened its first restaurant two years ago; it plans on having 20 restaurants up and running by the end of 2013, including some in North Carolina; owners want to expand the chain into other southern states such as Texas, Alabama and Arizona as well.

Orlando's best-known piece of real estate celebrates milestone

For Central Florida residents born in the last four decades, it may seem as though one of the defining features of our area has always been there. Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom opened 42 years ago this month, several years after Disney himself announced the park would be built. Disney didn't live long enough to see the park get built, but his brainchild ended up being a spark that ignited Orlando as a worldwide tourist destination.

The path to build the park was a complex one. Disney and his team were interested in the Florida market, but there were many factors that went into the selection of the proper area of commercial real estate. Ultimately, an inland site was chosen over locations such as Miami or Tampa in order to be somewhat sheltered from hurricanes that hit the Florida coast from time to time.

Commercial real estate purchases show rebounding Florida economy

When the recession hit Florida, economists scrambled to give companies a heads-up on what the future would hold for business in the their area. Unfortunately, many businesses were hit hard and residents across the state watched Florida's economy begin to dwindle. But by just looking at recent commercial real estate purchases in Southwest Florida, readers of our blog may be able to see that our state's economy is rebounding in a healthy way.

Just to name a few would be those made by CRE Consultants in Naples this month. Looking at leasing space from Casa Homes Associates, CRE Consultants was able to negotiate 2,400 square feet for Bedman Enterprises Inc. and Oneyda's Bakery and Deli LLC in the Empire Plaza building. As readers of our blog may know, commercial real estate transactions such as this often require considerable negotiations to ensure that each party understands the terms of the lease agreement. Breaking such an agreement can often lead to serious litigation and complex legal disputes as well.

Month-long contract dispute between CBS and Time Warner resolved

A month-long standoff between CBS and Time Warner has finally been resolved, which is good news for television viewers in a few major markets. The contract dispute between CBS and Time Warner centered around licensing fees, as CBS was seeking a higher fee for Time Warner to retransmit their content. But, there was also a digital component to the dispute, as each company had a different idea about how CBS' content would be handled online.

The settlement of the dispute is good news for everyone, really. Time Warner now gets one of their major content providers back on its lineup; CBS apparently received a sizeable licensing fee hike (though the exact terms of the deal were not disclosed); and TV viewers will have more options.

Baskin-Robbins offering franchising opportunities in Florida

The largest chain of ice cream shops and tasty treats has its sights set on Florida. Baskin-Robbins is planning to expand their ice cream specialty shops in Florida, and wants to have more than 20 new restaurants started in the next couple of years. 

There are already 138 Baskin-Robbins restaurants in Florida and the company wants to expand in Fort Myers, Miami, Tampa, Jacksonville, West Palm Beach and Panama City. The company is offering a webinar for individuals interested in franchising opportunities with Baskin-Robbins. 

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Admitted to practice before the state courts of New Jersey, New York, Florida, Pennsylvania and Washington DC. Well versed in the highly regulated franchise environment and highly competitive lodging industry. A business oriented attorney focused upon efficiently and precisely implementing the business decisions of corporate executives.

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The Law Offices of Richard Franzblau LLC, provides legal advice and advocacy for clients in Orlando, Florida, and communities throughout Orange County, Osceola County, Brevard County, Seminole County and Volusia County, including Kissimmee, Winter Park, Lake Mary, Maitland, Oviedo, Winter Springs, Cocoa Beach, Port Orange, Titusville, Daytona Beach, Deltona, Lake Nona, Windermere and Melbourne, Florida.