Bradenton Economic Summit Eyes Florida Growth Opportunities

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, April, 17, 2013 – The Bradenton-Sarasota MSA bids to partake of the economic gains expected in Florida this year with the holding of Spark Growth: Riverwalk 2013 this May 2–5, a four-day showcase on the potentials for business developments and recreational opportunities in the locality, Sarasota Bay Real Estate reported. This event, the full service real estate firm said, timely and in tune with recent indications of appreciable growth for the Sunshine State this 2013 and onward.

A study by the Institute for Economic Competitiveness at the College of Business Administration, University of Central Florida, forecasts a 2.4% growth in real gross state product (RSGP) this year, a significant improvement from the estimated 1.6% rate in 2012. In 2014 up to 2016, the advance is expected to further accelerate at a 3.3–4.0% clip.

Figures from the U.S. Commerce Department validate the institute’s 2013 forecasts. The agency projects Florida’s total gross domestic product (GDP) at $697 billion by the end of this year’s fourth quarter, a 3.3% increase over the four quarters. For 2014, the department estimates total state GDP at $723 billion, up 3.7% over the year’s four quarters. These growth rates approximate estimated gains of 3.2% and 4.0% in total U.S. GDP for 2013, and 2014, respectively.

An economic development summit, set for May 3 at Bradenton’s new Manatee Players Theater, will be one the highlights of Spark Growth: Riverwalk 2013. During the day, panelists composed of company executives and community leaders will discuss current trends in regional business models and disruptive technologies focusing on economic growth and investment initiatives across the state.

This series of discussions will be followed through on May 4 with an innovative BarCamp un-Conference event at the state-of-the-art and brand-new campus of the Manatee Technical Institute. On tap for this day are round-table discussions, seminars, and impromptu meetings wherein participants can share their learning, skills, and passions. Notably, this local BarCamp event is the seventh of such gatherings, and its free-wheeling format has drawn popular following.

What follows is even more informal: an evening party at downtown Bradenton’s new Riverwalk Park inaugurated just this past October. Riverwalk 2013 will also wind up on May 5 at its eponymous park with the 4th Annual Sustainable Shindig, featuring music from local bands, local dining experience, and family gatherings, in addition to the U.S. Green Builders Expo. The Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Coalition is hosting this finale for Riverwalk 2013 which also provides sidelights to some of the most attractive Bradenton homes for sale.

River Dance of The Promenade at Riverwalk, for instance, is one community that has a ringside seat to the culminating activities of Spark Growth. This property is a condominium neighborhood in a charming eight-story complex built in 2007 overlooking the Manatee River. It is composed of 115 units having two to three bedrooms in floor areas of 1,400 up to 1,940 square feet with available properties priced at the $200s–400s range. This condo’s amenities include a heated pool and hot tub, courts for tennis and basketball, a putting green, fitness and media centers, and a social room with kitchen.