Will big investments change downtown's outlook? Plus: Bankrupt developer aims to offload under-construction project & when to fly during Thanksgiving

Welcome to Orlando Business Journal's LinkedIn newsletter. I'm Associate Managing Editor Steven Ryzewski, rounding up business news to keep you in the know when time is short.

In many ways, Downtown Orlando is a study in contrasts.

At the same time that one of the district's most prominent blocks — Church Street Station — is basically a ghost town, more than $1 billion in new private and public investment is in the works nearby. Travel + Leisure, a publicly traded company, is set to bring hundreds of employees to its new downtown HQ next year while, at the same time, the city is being sued by nightclub owners over policies aimed at curbing some of the trouble downtown has had with safety.

The outlook for downtown Orlando is as nuanced a topic as any, so this week's cover story for Doing Business in Downtown merited a takeover edition — with nearly 20 individual stories looking at what's happening downtown and what some of the region's leaders believe should happen next for the urban core.

Check out this link for a hub of Orlando Business Journal's Doing Business in Downtown coverage — and don't forget to check out this week's print edition, a digital version of which is linked below:

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Real estate news of the week

• $40 million in debt, bankrupt developer pushes for unfinished property's sale amid investor losses
• Local developer buys 122 acres in Leesburg
• Land in Sunbridge sells for industrial development
• Revived Volusia Square shopping center sells for $26 million
• Orlando's top 5 luxury housing markets include these newcomers
• Horizon West hotel, retail project moves forward
• Another mixed-use project takes shape in Horizon West
• Central Florida condo sales cool off as holidays approach
• 'We have to protect our role in the economy': Realtor association exec talks intersection of real estate, politics
• Golden Corral near UCF sold for housing construction

Orlando news bites

Don't miss these other top stories:

• Tijuana Flats unveils recovery strategy, but challenges loom
• PODCAST: The Alfond Inn's Justin Williams on luxury service, AI and mentoring future leaders
• 'Abject failure': Tijuana Flats rejects Orlando marketing agency Push's efforts
• Plans filed for $50 million campus at Orlando airport
• Why Minecraft's real-life attraction with ride, more may land in Orlando
• Tech entrepreneur's new mobile device repair enterprise aims to provide career path for adults with autism
• Legal heavyweight added to team for nightclubs' lawsuit against city of Orlando
• Wave of 11th-hour claims filed in Tupperware bankruptcy
• How Falcon's Beyond will benefit from major investor's latest acquisition
• What's next after Camping World Stadium work gets funding OK

On the move: Central Florida transportation news

• Orlando airport expects Thanksgiving traffic to be down. See why — and what day it will be busiest.
• Frontier Airlines, Allegiant add Orlando flights
• Central Florida Expressway Authority advances Poinciana connector plans
• Sunshine Corridor takes important step forward
• What Spirit Airlines' bankruptcy means for Orlando International Airport

Restaurant and retail news & notes

Check out the latest news on popular local places to eat, drink, shop and be entertained:

• Lake Nona's culinary shift: New restaurants raise the bar
• Cheesecake revolution: Artisan baker creates 95 flavors at new DeBary storefront
• See inside new 'Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry' attraction at Epic Universe
• Cruise lines at Port Canaveral shine in ‘2025 Best Cruise Lines’ rankings
• How designers overcame challenges in I-Drive nightclub's upscale dining conversion

Nominate now for the OBJ awards programs!

• 2025 40 Under 40 Awards (deadline: Dec. 5, 2024)
• 2025 Women Who Mean Business (deadline: Dec. 20, 2024)
• 2025 Best Places to Work (deadline: April 4, 2025)

That's all for this week's top headlines, and thanks for supporting OBJ. This weekly round-up of Orlando business news was compiled by Steven Ryzewski, associate managing editor. Questions? Comments? Concerns? News tips? Send them to [email protected] .