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Digest

Talk of the bay

By TIMES WIRES
Published December 11, 2006

FAMILIAR FACE SET TO RETURN TO OPEN ROAD

Partners Stephen Julius and Stephen Heese, known in the Tampa Bay area for bringing Sarasota's Chris-Craft back from the dead, are shooting for a 2007 debut for their latest revival project. The duo, who run private-equity firm Stellican, are engineering a comeback for Indian Motorcycles. The first model is scheduled to come to market late next year.

Tourist bureau to take tripof its own

The people who promote Tampa to tourists are moving to more upscale digs. Next month, the 55 staffers of the Tampa Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau will pack up their desks at Park Tower, downtown's oldest high-rise office, and move into the newest 'scraper, 14-year-old SunTrust Financial Centre. The bureau's lease was expiring and the it was able to pick up nearly 30 percent more floor space for "a very comparable deal," said Dianne Jacob, senior vice president of marketing.

Landlords in best spot to cash in

One part of the residential real estate market isn't shedding tears in its beer: apartments. The Tampa Bay area is on a pace to be the 13th-hottest U.S. market for rents over the next year. Boston's Property and Portfolio Research predicts rents will rise 7.3 percent, faster than anemic single-family housing values. Why? Condo conversions constricted supply. Renters might have better luck leasing a house. With thousands of unsold investment homes on the market, owners are, how shall we say it, motivated.

Refine managing, mingling skills

Grab those business cards. The 2006 Tampa Bay Business Symposium is from 2 to 9 p.m. today at the Radisson Hotel Clearwater, 20967 U.S. 19. Seven local business experts will give advice on hiring, maintaining morale, networking and other topics. Admission is $10 at the event. See details at www.freenetworking international.com.

[Last modified December 10, 2006, 19:51:48]