Red Lobster's woes include closures, looming bankruptcy

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

Whether you chalk it up to larger trends facing legacy restaurant brands or losses from its "Ultimate Endless Shrimp" promotion , the challenges faced by Orlando-headquartered seafood chain Red Lobster continue to mount.

Here's the latest:

• Red Lobster abruptly closes restaurants here
• Should Red Lobster file for bankruptcy protection? Experts weigh in.
• Here's the real estate outlook for closed Red Lobster locations

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Real estate news of the week

• Universal makes big land buy near proposed SunRail station: Here's what to know about the theme park operator's acquisition of 62 acres near the convention center and its affordable housing community.
• Travel + Leisure move downtown becomes official: The timeshare/vacation ownership giant was officially awarded incentives to move its HQ downtown. Here are the details of the deal.
• Orlando's median home prices set new record in April
• Florida is best state to invest in short-term rentals
• Modular, hurricane-rated community breaks ground in Lake County

Orlando news bites

Don't miss these other top stories:

• Nightlife operators sound off on new city measure: A decision to close parking garages early will hurt the downtown club scene, say downtown business owners.
• Harold Mills steps away from all board roles after arrest: Here's the latest on the fallout from the prominent local businessman's May 9 arrest.
• See Central Florida's highest-paid CEOs at publicly-traded firms
• Seminole County could collect hotel money as soon as July
• AdventHealth plans $145M expansion of suburban hospital

Restaurant news & notes

Check out the latest news on popular local places to eat and drink:

• 'Bar Rescue' star to open I-Drive restaurant: If all goes according to plan, Jon Taffer won't be yelling "shut it down" at this soon-to-open International Drive eatery anytime soon.
• First Watch cooks up 5 new restaurants here
• Here's what's next for demolished Burger King in Winter Garden

On the cover

This week's Orlando Business Journal cover story dives deep into everything happening in Seminole County — whether it's visions of economic development, innovation or what's happening with real estate, we've got you covered.

Nominations & Events

Things to put on your busy calendar:

• Register now for the 2024 40 Under 40 Awards celebration and networking event as we honor the top professional Central Florida "up and comers." Event date: May 22.
• Nominate for the 2024 Inno Under 25 awards , a recognition of the top founders, entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders under age 25. Deadline: May 23.
• Nominate for the 2024 Veterans of Influence , recognizing military veterans who have made a significant achievement in their careers in the past year, have a strong record of innovation or outstanding performance in their work, and are involved in our community. Deadline: May 30.
• Register now for 2024 Doing Business in Lake County , where we'll join business leaders from both the private and public sectors in the fast-growing sector for a panel discussion and networking event. Event date: June 6.
• Nominate for the 2024 Most Influential Leaders , which will recognize outstanding Central Florida executives who use their cachet to better the region. Deadline: June 20.

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