HAMPTON INNS FOR LARGO, SEFFNER: BayStar Hotel Group said Wednesday it will begin construction of two new Hampton Inn hotels, one in downtown Largo and one near Lazydays RV Center on Interstate 4 in Seffner. The Seffner project will have 76 rooms and 20 suites at a cost of $6.5-million. Lazydays' owners are partners in the project, said George Glover, chairman and CEO of Tampa-based BayStar. The Largo property, with 85 rooms and costing $7.5-million, will be the first branded hotel in the city's downtown. The hotel will be on E Bay Drive where the city police department once stood.
WALTER UNIT PRESIDENT QUITS: The president of Walter Industries' iron pipe division is resigning effective May 10, the Tampa conglomerate said Wednesday. Brad Kitterman, president of the U.S. Pipe & Foundry unit for 15 months, is leaving to join an IT service company, Walter said. Two other top executives at U.S. Pipe - executive vice president of operations Mike Keel and human resources director Darrell Witt - also recently left, joining competitor McWane Inc. Charles Cauthen, the parent company's senior vice president and controller, will be acting president of U.S. Pipe.
US AIRWAYS TO END HUBS: As part of a new plan to cut costs and counter its low-fare rivals, US Airways is planning a "de-emphasis" in markets, such as Pittsburgh and Charlotte, N.C., that depend on connecting passengers. The new strategy, approved by US Airways' board last week, is a reaction to the challenges presented by more efficient carriers that offer "point-to-point" service. US Airways still relies largely on a more costly "hub-and-spoke" system. It wants to lower costs, lower fares and increase its point-to-point flying in highly contested markets, perhaps with new planes.
CONTINENTAL EXPECTS LAYOFFS: As many as 500 reservations agents may be laid off by Continental Airlines in September, the air carrier said, unless there is a turnaround in the persistently sluggish industry. The Houston carrier has already sent out letters to agents about possible furloughs. The letter also notifies agents about early retirement packages and severance the company is offering. Continental employs about 4,200 reservation agents at centers in Tampa, Salt Lake City and Houston.
FOUR ACCUSED OF SPAMMING: U.S. authorities charged four people Wednesday in Detroit with e-mailing fraudulent sales pitches for weight-loss products, the first prosecutions under the "can spam" law. Daniel J. Lin, James J. Lin, Mark M. Sadek and Christopher Chung, all of the Detroit area, were accused of disguising their identities in hundreds of thousands of sales pitches and delivering e-mails by bouncing messages through unprotected relay computers on the Internet. Chung and Sadek appeared in U.S. District Court and were released on unsecured bonds, said Gina Balaya of the U.S. Attorney's Office. The Lins have not been arrested.
WAFFLE HOUSE FACES NEW SUIT: Eight black customers have filed a federal lawsuit against Waffle House Inc., claiming they experienced racial discrimination at Atlanta restaurants. Pat Warner, a spokesman for Waffle House, said he had not seen the suit but the chain treats such complaints seriously and has fired workers found guilty of discrimination. In September, suits were filed against 13 Waffle Houses in five states.
EARNINGS
Walter Industries Inc.: The Tampa company reported results on the favorable side of an anticipated loss of 11 to 16 cents a share for the first quarter. Improved results at its U.S. Pipe unit were overshadowed by a drop in operating income in homebuilding and the natural resources unit.
Time Warner Inc.: The world's largest media company reported that its first-quarter profits more than doubled from the same period a year ago, thanks to a gain from the sale of its music division and stronger results in its film and TV divisions. Time Warner also reported improved results and a slowdown in subscriber defections at its America Online division.
Anheuser-Busch Inc.: Growth in each of its operating segments helped lift earnings for the maker of Budweiser and Bud Light by 13.4 percent in the first quarter, the company said Wednesday. Thomson First Call said that topped by 2 cents a share the consensus estimate of analysts it surveyed.
Boeing Co.: Boeing Co. swung to a profit in the first quarter and raised estimates Wednesday for revenue and earnings into 2005, citing signs of stabilization in the long-shaky commercial jet market and impressive sales from its military business.
CSX Corp.: The Jacksonville railroad giant said first-quarter earnings dropped about 70 percent but still beat Wall Street estimates.
Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc.: The bottler of Coca-Cola Co. beverages said first-quarter net income nearly quadrupled, reflecting robust revenue growth and more selling days in the period.
Halliburton Co.: The oilfield services conglomerate reported a first-quarter net loss Wednesday because of a $141-million charge related to a pending settlement of asbestos claims.
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.: The drugmaker said first-quarter net income rose nearly 22 percent on strong sales and a gain on the sale of a business.
