Orlando left with a mess after Hurricane Ian whips through town

Welcome to Orlando Business Journal's first-ever weekly LinkedIn newsletter. I'm Managing Editor Susan Lundine, rounding up Orlando business news to keep you in the know when time is short.

This week, Hurricane Ian whipped through Central Florida leaving a trail of flooding , power outages , downed trees and more.

Among the business impacts were closed theme parks , schools and businesses, as well as the cancellation of flights into and out of the region, which relies heavily on tourism for the economy.

Even Westgate Resorts founder David and?Jackie Siegel's $100 million Versailles mansion that has been under construction for 20 years in Orlando — a job creator for hundreds of local construction firms and contractors — was flooded by Hurricane Ian. "Water is pouring in and the ceilings are falling down. Versailles is a mess,"?said Jackie Siegel, who had hoped to have the home completed next spring.

Learn more about the business impacts and more here:

• Hurricane Ian cancels closings, showings in Orlando housing market
• Hurricane Ian's flood threat is big worry for Orlando construction
• Follow these 6 simple tips before and after a hurricane to keep your firm in business
• Tech startup WeatherFlow feeds Hurricane Ian data to National Weather Service, others
• Hurricane Ian flooding shuts down roadways to Orlando airport
• Port Canaveral closed for Hurricane Ian, cruise ships stay at sea

(Note from Susan: My family made it safely though the hurricane with no loss of power or internet, though my neighborhood streets were flooded and filled with tree limbs and other debris. I hope your families and businesses fared well during the devastating storm.)

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Real estate news of the week

Check out some of the biggest names in local real estate and what they're up to:

• David Siegel's Westgate Resorts sells another prime Orlando property
• Lake Nona developer Tavistock wants to add thousands of homes, hotel rooms and more
• New Amazon Fresh store near Apopka is 2nd confirmed in Orlando

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Orlando news bites

You don't want to miss these top stories:

• Tech billionaire Peter Thiel: Florida ‘becoming like California’ due to home prices
• Florida lawmaker expects DeSantis vs. Disney Reedy Creek solution
• SunRail board advances shared train corridor with Brightline

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Restaurant news & notes

We're always hungry for new places to eat. Check these out:

• Michigan restaurant to open Orlando ghost kitchen
• Gainesville restaurant chain plans new metro Orlando location
• Why restaurants like Jack in the Box prioritize Orlando for Florida expansion

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Finally ... make your voice heard!

Several OBJ polls are live. Click on one to let us know what you're thinking.

• Did your business sustain any damage from Hurricane Ian?
• Will you vote for Orange County's rent stabilization ordinance?
• Is Orlando a good place for corporate relocations?
• How will you vote on the proposed penny sales tax hike for transportation?

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This weekly round-up of Orlando business news was compiled by Susan Lundine, OBJ's managing editor.

Questions? Comments? Concerns? News tips? Send them to [email protected].