The art of the pivot How Alcyr Araujo scored big with a revamp of his tech startup MATTHEW RICHARDSON, 12

REAL ESTATE Rents at $1B project among area’s highest Lake Nona Town Center asks retailers for $70 a square foot, industry sources say. JACK WITTHAUS, 14

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CFE’s name change to aid expansion The credit union’s new moniker gives it the ability to look outside Central for growth. RYAN LYNCH, 10

Largest HMOs 23

COVER STORY Assisted Living Facilities 24

TOURISM & HOSPITALITY THE APARTMENTS TO COME TO DEZERLAND FIXER Miami billionaire Why Angel de la Portilla Michael Dezer is was a saving grace for seeking the city’s OK to build a these developers 365-unit, five- story complex RICHARD BILBAO, PAGES 4-6 with a parking garage. RICHARD BILBAO, 16

PHOTO | JIM CARCHIDI

ORLANDO Breaking news online BUSINESS JOURNAL r OrlandoBusinessJournal.com February 8, 2019 Vol. 35, No. 33, $5.00 On Twitter 255 S. Orange Ave. @OBJupdate Suite 650 Orlando, FL 32801 Daily email updates L OrlandoBusinessJournal.com/email FEBRUARY 8, 2019 ORLANDO BUSINESS JOURNAL

COVER STORY THE FIXER WHY MANY OF C. FLA.’S MOST NOTABLE COMPANIES TURN TO THIS BUSINESSMAN TO NAVIGATE GOVERNMENT RED TAPE

BY RICHARD BILBAO | [email protected]

entral Florida For de tilla — includ- Not only that, Rosen’s philan- experienced a rare la Portilla, ing some of thropic efforts are highly regarded, moment in winter untangling the local busi- most notably bringing pre-school- 2015 when a private private and ness commu- through-college education oppor- C public issues nity’s most tunities to two Central Florida low- developer overcame the objections of one of the biggest players in — notably prominent er-income neighborhoods, Tangelo town: Resort. ones that lead individuals Park and Parramore. At question was the centerpiece to wasted — have said In short: Rosen didn’t gain his his work is of the proposed $500 million money while success without hard work and instrumen- Skyplex entertainment center waiting for making the right decisions — includ- tal, and his — the 501-foot-high Skyscraper government ing choosing who he works with. connections polercoaster, which would join a approvals — is And de la Portilla is one of those. what he does and skills are drop tower, zip line, hotel, retail Rosen began working with him best. In fact, something complex and more. around 2011, when a joint venture getting rid of they’ve never between the New York Yankees and Opponents contended the government seen before. a private developer wanted to build tower would be an eyesore for the But it all red tape is one a $47 million baseball complex on International Drive tourist corridor appears to of his compa- land between the Orange Coun- and believed Orange County come natu- ny’s tag lines. ty Convention Center and the Ros- leaders would reject the proposal. rally to him. With a en Plaza. Instead, public speakers showered team that The Yankees’ involvement made it Skyplex with praise. As a result, Go-to guy includes only Angel de la Portilla JIM CARCHIDI a popular proposal to the public, and the Orange County Commission Not many one other a large lobbying team worked hard approved Skyplex unanimously in people are as associate, the to garner support from many locals a win for the little guy. good a judge of character as Harris 51-year-old Miami native of Cuban Rosen, founder, president and COO — except Rosen, who opposed it back While local leaders and media descent often finds himself knee of Orlando-based Rosen Hotels & then because he said it didn’t work crews scrambled to congratulate deep in the middle of many of Cen- Resorts. for the area. Skyplex developer Joshua Wallack, tral Florida’s major projects, repre- Rosen, who turns 80 this Septem- Rosen sought out de la Portilla to a figure stood at Wallack’s side, senting big players in tourism, com- ber, is viewed as the quintessential help demonstrate to local leaders shaking hands with others mercial real estate, public works and entrepreneur, building an empire that the project would harm local and quietly basking in yet local/state government. from scratch. He took a single hotel businesses and wasn’t a good deal. another victory in a government He’s played a key but somewhat — the now 728-room Rosen Inn at Those efforts succeeded, and the boardroom. unknown role in about $1 billion International — and grew that into project didn’t garner enough sup- That man was Angel de la worth of projects in the Orlando an eight-hotel, nearly 6,700-room port for approval. Portilla, president of Orlando area, some completed and others in powerhouse portfolio that generat- “That was the beginning of what government consulting firm various stages of construction. ed more than $331 million in reve- has become a long relationship, one Central Florida Strategies Inc. Those who work with de la Por- nue last year. I have grown to respect and admire,” Rosen said. “It’s not easy what Angel Tourist Development Tax Sports Incen- ical Cafe Orlan- FAMILY TIES does. He’s working with the private and tive Committee. do, which opened public sectors, where there are natural That was good enough for Rosen in 2016, as well as WHAT DRIVES ANGEL challenges when one traverses those and de la Portilla. the adjacent $30 DE LA PORTILLA? two different worlds.” “It’s not about win or lose; it’s about million Hollywood IT'S IN HIS BLOODLINE working out a resolution that’s good for Plaza complex in Other projects the two worked Harris Rosen together on included development of both parties,” Rosen told OBJ. “You aim 2018, not to men- When most people trace their lineage, they're lucky to find the Gary Sain Memorial Bridge that for some resolution, and while it can tion the yet-to-be- results three or four generations since 2013 has connected the Rosen be very unlikely and difficult, you may developed Skyplex. back. Plaza to the convention center. be offered something that makes you Meanwhile, less For Angel de la Portilla and his family, it leads back even further. They also teamed up on many say, ‘Oh, that’s interesting. Not what we than a mile away, "We traced our family roots all Orange County proposals related to wanted, but we are better off with that the region’s new- the way back to Spain, and I am a than nothing.’ ” direct descendant of the second the lucrative tourist development tax Joshua Wallack est go-kart attrac- Spanish governor of Florida, on hotel sales, which often is used for After those experiences, Rosen said tion offers another Rodrigo del Junco, who was upgrades to the convention center, as he greatly values de la Portilla’s work. example of de la Portilla’s steady hand. appointed by the king of Spain in the 1590s," de la Portilla told well as in the past for big downtown “He’s steady,” Rosen said. “We all Andretti Indoor Karting & Games Orlando Business Journal — proof Orlando projects, such as the Camping as human beings have a tendency to co-owner Stan Manousos, another de that his political influences go get emotional about things, but I have la Portilla client, said “speaking gov- back 15 generations in his family. World Stadium renovations, and devel- More recently, de la Portilla's never witnessed that in Angel. He is ernment” is a vital skill in new mar- political background links to “He’s steady. We all as always calm. And that is an import- kets. The $35 million, 135,000-square- when his family lived in Cuba ant attribute for someone in his posi- during the early years of the Fidel human beings have a foot entertainment facility across from Castro regime. Both his parents tion to have.” the Orange County Convention Center were Cuban exiles, who left for tendency to get emotional That steadiness also was key in opened in 2017, which Manousos cred- political reasons, he said. "My mother came to the about things, but I have bringing some of the region’s more ited to de la Portilla’s help in opening U.S. at the age of 16 after she high-profile projects to town. doors and getting through the approval and her sister were distributing never witnessed that in propaganda against Fidel Castro process — even saving close to $1 million in their school," de la Portilla said. Angel. He is always calm. Angel on their shoulders in impact fees. "The [school’s] head nun found Years before the Skyplex vote in Orange “His core strength is he knows a lot out and told my grandfather And that is an important she could get arrested if the County, cars whizzed along I-Drive as of people and can get you in front of government found out. They attribute for someone in Wallack spoke to someone he knew them,” Manousos told OBJ. thought they were going to be in But what really made a difference the U.S. for six months, but they his position to have.” would be vital for his future in Orlando. never went back." — HARRIS ROSEN Wallack needed help landing gov- in planning and developing Andretti His father's story is similar: ernment approvals to redevelop a Indoor Karting & Games was the real- Castro in 1961 visited de la Portilla's grandfather — a 55,000-square-foot shuttered Friday’s istic timeframe de la Portilla provided, prominent attorney in Matanzas, opment of the Amway Center and Dr. Front Row Sports Grill restaurant and because time is money, Manousos said. Cuba — to solidify support, but Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. bar into a $30 million nightclub and If officials had said it would take was rejected by de la Portilla's grandfather. Three days later, his However, one tourist development dinner show called Mango’s Tropical a week to complete, de la Portilla was father's family had to move to the tax-related proposal wasn’t a success- Cafe Orlando — a sister location to a able to couch it with his experience — U.S. and never returned to their ful venture for the duo. homeland. popular South Beach attraction. sometimes telling clients the normal As a youth, de la Portilla Rosen was a vocal supporter of an “I came to Orlando in December course was more like 30 days. was drawn to politics. In grade amendment to Orange County’s char- 2012 and really didn’t know anyone,” “We weren’t left waiting on the school, he volunteered for Ronald Reagan’s presidential campaign, ter for an application process regarding Wallack told OBJ. “I was just known as edge of our seats because he set an which resulted in him visiting the any projects or events that wanted to the ‘Mango’s guy from Miami.’ ” expectation for us,” Manousos said. White House during the Reagan tap into the county’s tourist develop- Figuring out how to build his proj- Both Wallack and Manousos agreed administration and, later, when George H.W. Bush was in office. ment tax fund. The proposal required ects was a challenge for Wallack, he their Orlando ventures wouldn’t have "I'm passionate about it. I owners or developers to clearly state said, because it wasn’t easy dealing been as easy to complete without de la love being involved in business, their projects’ economic impact to politics and government," he said. with Orange County government at Portilla’s assistance. That passion wasn't missed on help county leaders better use resort the time. “He can cut a lot of mistakes. Too one of his mentors, NAI Realvest tax dollars. That changed when Rosen passed many foul balls and trial-and-error costs founder and former Chairman George Livingston, who died in Rosen was passionate about it since along de la Portilla’s name. people a lot of money, and can end up 2017. Livingston offered some he not only paid the tax, but his hotels “It was him keeping my rudder in killing a business venture,” Wallack said. sage advice to him, de la Portilla also benefit from convention center said, during a short stint at NAI the right direction,” Wallack said. “As Added Manousos: “We’ve never Realvest, which paved the way for improvements that would draw more challenges came up, such as preparing worked with someone like him before. Central Florida Strategies. business to Orlando. to present to the Orange County Com- But it worked out so well to the point "He said: 'Angel, you're really not meant to be in real estate While the proposal didn’t make mission or planning boards, he looked where I have asked him if there are because you have a lot of good it onto the November 2016 ballot, it at it all from multiple peoples’ perspec- Angels in other cities where we are political relationships. You should wasn’t a complete loss: The amend- tives to see things clearly – not just by looking to expand — I know he’s mak- somehow look to leverage those relationships into something ment’s public support resulted in the your groups, but how your adversaries ing those calls to find out.” other than real estate.' " de la creation of new oversight commit- perceive it.” After all, finding those connections Portilla said. "And so that's what I was going to be: a governmental tees, like the Tourist Development Tax Those skills helped Wallack secure is just another day at the office for de la representative for real estate Application Review Committee and the the county’s OK for Mango’s Trop- Portilla. developers." PROJECT LIST: CENTRAL FLORIDA STRATEGIES

Central Florida Strategies Inc. was founded in 2008, and in that decade, International Airport. It also worked with entities that oversaw or it arguably has made a huge impact in ’s landscape for participated in major regional projects, like renovations at Camping years to come. World Stadium. The Orlando-based company, which provides government consulting services, has a client list that includes major developers and public Contact info for Central Florida Strategies: President Angel de la Portilla entities, ranging from Rosen Hotels & Resorts to contractors of Orlando at (407) 377-6847, or [email protected].

JIM CARCHIDI WALLACK HOLDINGS LLC This is the developer of Mango’s Tropical Cafe restaurant and nightclub, and the $30 million Hollywood Plaza entertainment/ parking complex on International Drive. Wallack Holdings also plans to develop the future $500 million Skyplex project, anchored by the 501-foot-high Skyscraper polercoaster, along with a drop tower, zipline, surf park, shops, restaurants, hotel and more. Central Florida Strategies helped Wallack Holdings secure local government approvals, most notably assisting in getting the OK for the Skyscraper on I-Drive, which initially was opposed by Mango’s Tropical Cafe big players like Universal Orlando Resort.

ANDRETTI INDOOR KARTING & GAMES The $35 million, 135,000-square-foot entertainment facility was partly created by the Andretti racing family. The center opened in 2017 across from the Orange County Convention Center. Central Florida Strategies connected Andretti’s representatives with the right government officials and helped address impact fees the developer would need to pay. ROSEN HOTELS & RESORTS The Orlando-based operator of eight hotels with nearly 6,700 rooms is led by one of Orlando’s most influential businesspeople: Harris Rosen. The firm also is very active in philanthropy and government-related issues that impact the Orange County Convention Center and the county’s tourist development tax. Central Florida Strategies provided consulting for Rosen Hotels Andretti Indoor Karting regarding proposed projects near its properties. RICHARD BILBAO

FLORIDA CITRUS BOWL RENOVATION A $190 million contract for the revamp of ’s Florida Citrus Bowl stadium — now Camping World Stadium — required major negotiations due to the usage of Orange County’s tourist development taxes. Central Florida Strategies served as a government consultant for several parties during the ongoing discussions that led to the contract approval. CITY OF OCOEE Central Florida Strategies serves as the city’s economic development consultant on major projects, such as the revitalization of the State Road 50 corridor, downtown Ocoee and West Oaks Mall. ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT EXPANSION Camping World Stadium Central Florida Strategies represented construction firms working on the JIM CARCHIDI airport’s new $2.15 billion south terminal project.