{"id":217926,"date":"2026-04-03T20:56:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T20:56:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/217926\/"},"modified":"2026-04-03T20:56:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T20:56:10","slug":"the-orlando-regional-perspective-april-3-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/217926\/","title":{"rendered":"The Orlando Regional Perspective | April 3, 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome to the\u00a0Orlando Regional Perspective,\u00a0where I share stories that bring the\u00a0Orlando 2045 Vision<\/a>\u00a0to life and highlight the progress shaping our region\u2019s future.<\/p>\n

1) 2026 Regional Leadership Conference advances Orlando 2045 Vision\u00a0\u2013 Last week, nearly 500 regional leaders gathered for the 2026 Regional Leadership Conference, where we also presented the James B. Greene Award honoring Alan E. Keene. The conference provided an opportunity to reflect on the Orlando region\u2019s economic momentum and focus on the future.<\/p>\n

Today, the Orlando region is a $233 billion economy, one of the largest in the nation, with four consecutive years of growth outpacing the U.S. average. Innovation is accelerating, our talent pipeline continues to deepen, and momentum is building behind the Orlando 2045 Vision\u2014positioning the region as a leading hub for investment and opportunity.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I\u2019m grateful to our presenting sponsor and host, Universal Orlando Resort; supporting sponsor FAIRWINDS Credit Union; contributing sponsor Verizon; our Champions for Broad based Prosperity\u00ae including AdventHealth, Orlando Magic, OUC \u2013 The\u00a0Reliable\u00a0One, University of Central Florida, and Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. Special thanks to our Board Chair, Universal Executive Vice President and CFO Tracey Stockwell for her leadership and partnership. As our keynote speaker Bret Perkins, Senior Vice President of Community Growth and Economic Development at Comcast Corporation, reminded us, lasting growth depends on civic leadership and long term stewardship and together, we\u2019re building a future defined not just by growth, but by opportunity and shared prosperity.\u00a0For a full recap, click here<\/a>. \u00a0<\/p>\n

2) Orlando continues to outpace growth trends\u00a0\u2013 Our latest Market Commentary highlights newly released U.S. Census Bureau data that shows the Orlando region remains a national growth leader, even as population growth slows across much of the country. The Orlando MSA grew 1.3% in 2025, outpacing Florida\u2019s overall rate of 0.8% and ranking as the sixth fastest growing large metro in the nation. Between July 1, 2024, and July 1, 2025, the region added 37,690 new residents, with international migration once again serving as the primary driver of growth, offsetting a modest domestic outflow. Within Florida, Orlando added almost three times as many new residents as Tampa while Miami lost population. These trends highlight Orlando\u2019s continued global appeal and reinforce the importance of planning for sustained growth as part of the Orlando 2045 vision.\u00a0Read the full analysis by OEP Vice President of Research and Strategy Neil Hamilton<\/a>.<\/p>\n

3) Orlando at the center of America\u2019s next giant leap\u00a0\u2013 With the successful launch of the Artemis II Central Florida once again stands at the forefront of human spaceflight. This mission shines a spotlight on the strength of our aerospace and defense industry and the work happening across our region that supports NASA\u2019s deep-space ambitions and reflects decades of innovation powered by world-class talent and institutions like the University of Central Florida. Together, these efforts underscore Orlando\u2019s global relevance and reinforce a core Orlando 2045 priority: building an innovation-driven economy that reaches far beyond our atmosphere.\u00a0Share the news<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

4) NFL football comes to Orlando\u00a0\u2013 The announcement that the Jacksonville Jaguars will play the entire 2027 NFL season at Camping World Stadium is a major moment for the Orlando region. Hosting an NFL franchise for a full season brings national attention, significant economic impact, and new energy to our urban core. This milestone reinforces the importance of Camping World Stadium as a strategic regional asset, one that supports tourism, drives investment, and elevates Orlando\u2019s profile as a premier sports and entertainment destination.\u00a0Share the news<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

5) 407 Day: Celebrating local, supporting regional\u00a0\u2013 Next week, we celebrate 407 Day, a day rooted in regional pride and named after the Orlando region\u2019s area code. It\u2019s a reminder of why supporting local businesses matters more than ever. From main street storefronts to fast-growing startups, local businesses are the backbone of our economy creating jobs, strengthening neighborhoods, and fueling the innovation that defines our region. As we work toward the Orlando 2045 Vision, choosing local is about investing in the long-term vitality of the region we all call home.\u00a0Learn more<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Programs & Events<\/p>\n

2026 Washington, D.C. Advocacy Trip\u00a0presented by BakerHostetler & supported by TECO\u00a0\/\/ May 19-21 \/\/\u00a0REGISTER TODAY<\/a>\u00a0(Open to OEP Investors at the Ambassador, Director, and Governors Council levels ONLY)<\/p>\n

ICYMI<\/p>\n

Spotlight on Central Florida: A conversation with Scott Cathcart, Florida Regional President at Truist<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Orlando Business Journal<\/p>\n

Growth in the Cloud<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Orlando Business Journal<\/p>\n

Produced with Precision, Central Florida\u2019s manufacturing sector isn\u2019t flashy, but it is economically consequential<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Orlando Business Journal<\/p>\n

Spotlight On: Andria Herr, Commissioner Chairwoman, Seminole County<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 Capital Analytics\u00a0<\/p>\n

Duke Energy partners with colleges to train next generation of lineworkers<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 Press Release<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Welcome to the\u00a0Orlando Regional Perspective,\u00a0where I share stories that bring the\u00a0Orlando 2045 Vision\u00a0to life and highlight the progress…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":129656,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[139,141,140],"class_list":["post-217926","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-orlando","tag-orlando","tag-orlando-headlines","tag-orlando-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/217926","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=217926"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/217926\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/129656"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=217926"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=217926"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=217926"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}