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Businesses encounter bumps as they grow
By JIM ROSS, Times Staff Writer
CRYSTAL RIVER -- Florida Power celebrated its nuclear plant's 25th anniversary in 2002 by announcing plans to seek a 20-year license renewal. "I think the future is bright for Crystal River," chief nuclear official C.S. "Scotty" Hinnant told several hundred employees who gathered under a huge white tent to celebrate in March. But Florida Power wasn't just looking to the future during 2002. It also was concerned about the present. The nuclear plant remained under close scrutiny amid ongoing terrorist warnings, and the company continued beefing up security. Florida Power enlarged its armed force by an undisclosed amount and installed trash can-sized concrete pillars and miles of inch-thick steel cable around its nuclear and coal plants. The utility also blocked access from the Gulf of Mexico with heavy cable across an intake canal. In June, the U.S. Coast Guard made permanent the no-boating zones established up to 3 miles from the plant shortly after Sept. 11. Toward the end of the year, Florida Power avoided a strike by nearly half its work force. The company and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers announced a tentative agreement on a new three-year contract. Some other business headlines from 2002: -- Economic Development: The Citrus County Economic Development Council commissioned a business survey that showed Citrus businesses could add up to 800 employees in the next three years. Of the 104 companies surveyed as part of the business retention and expansion study, 48 said they planned to add employees. The study identified some weaknesses, too: Employers said there is a lack of skilled workers in Citrus and called for additional education opportunities. The EDC said its priority is to strengthen and expand training programs at Central Florida Community College's local campus and partner with other higher education institutions. -- Transportation: A Suncoast Parkway advisory group formed as part of a state study on whether the toll road should be expanded through Citrus. The highway currently ends at U.S. 98 at the Citrus-Hernando line. A state-commissioned survey showed majority support for the extension, although it also showed the majority knew little about the road or road-planning process. Meantime, though a decision on whether to build the extension is years away, the state already has earmarked $45-million toward the project. Separately, the state began widening State Road 44 E between Gospel Island Road and State Road 44. The stretch between Gospel Island and the county line will be widened later. -- Retail: When it came to Wal-Mart supercenters, the stories were significantly different in east and west Citrus. On the east side, construction began on State Road 44 just west of Inverness. Nearby residents complained when the crane compacting the building site rattled their windows and, in their view, damaged their property. On the west side, the retail giant identified another potential building site. Its fourth choice was a parcel at U.S. 19 and Ozello Trail; the three other sites, all along U.S. 19 closer to Crystal River, couldn't win governmental approval because of environmental concerns or potential traffic-flow problems. -- Development: Beverly Hills Development Corp. unveiled plans for Tuscany, a 3,500- to 4,000-home project with two golf courses planned north of the Twisted Oaks golf course. Separately, another developer's plans for a 100-unit apartment complex were applauded by neighbors and approved by the County Commission. Marina Del Ray will be on County Road 491 behind the Regions Bank. It is designed to provide affordable housing for seniors. -- Manufacturing: Pro-Line Boats delayed its plans to build a new factory in Holder, pointing to the financial tides that have rocked the boating industry and Wall Street. Construction of the 100,000-square-foot Holder plant, previously slated for 2003, has been pushed back to 2004 or 2005. -- Medical: Citrus Memorial Hospital cleared its last legal and regulatory hurdles and began building its open heart surgery program for adults. The program will include some new construction on the hospital campus. Seven Rivers Community Hospital was named one of the nation's top 100 hospitals by a health care information company. Illinois-based Solucient bases its rankings on quality of care and efficiency, among other factors. Data are analyzed in groups based on hospital size and teaching status. -- Tourism: The new owners of the Crown Hotel suddenly and quietly left the area. Tom Dryburg and his wife, P.C. Hyland, were accused of falling behind on their mortgage and failing to pay nearly $3,000 in county tourist tax. The mortgage holder hired Landcom Hospitality Management Inc. of Jacksonville to operate the hotel until foreclosure proceedings are completed. -- Times staff writers Alex Leary and Bridget Hall Grumet contributed to this report.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
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