City of Coral Gables has More Than 175 Multi-Nationals
 
 
When you establish your business in Coral Gables, you’re not alone, according to the city’s promoters. The City is home to many traditional family businesses as well as more than 175 multinational corporations that have discovered the benefits of having a Coral Gables zip code.
 
More than 42,000 executives and corporate employees come to work in Coral Gables every day. The City’s strategic location, with its multicultural and multilingual employee base, and its outstanding community and family oriented environment all make Coral Gables an attractive choice for living and working.
 
Coral Gables is the preferred meeting point of the hemisphere, the Capital of the Americas, and the Gateway to the Caribbean. It is the regional headquarters to many North American, European, Latin American and Far East-based corporations. The City has a strong economic base, where less than five percent of the land area contributes 46 percent of the tax base. 
 
The City of Coral Gables offers excellent municipal services with accredited Police, Fire and Parks and Recreation Departments. It has a Class 1 Building and Zoning Department.
 
City officials say that doing business in Coral Gables makes sense because 6.5 million square feet of office space is available; 4.5 million square feet in downtown Coral Gables alone with offerings ranging from affordable Class B to AAA ($16-$28 per square feet). Other reasons include:
 
* Close to 42,000 white collar employees in Coral Gables have a median per capita income in excess of $60,00
 
* Total worker population within three miles of downtown Coral Gables exceeds 100,000
 
* Beautiful residential areas in Coral Gables offer a wide variety of housing choices including rental units, condominiums, and single-family homes in a stable real estate market
 
* The City places a strong emphasis on quality of life, being named Tree City USA for the past 20 consecutive years, and enjoying comprehensive recreational facilities
 
* The City offers top-rated municipal services
 
* Business travelers have access to more than 1,400 hotel rooms, 50 percent of which are luxury rated
 
* Coral Gables is just 4 miles from Miami International Airport
 
* Approximately 21 consulates and trade offices are located in Coral Gables
 
* More than 30 banking institutions have offices in Coral Gables
 
* There is no state income tax in Florida
 
Coral Gables is considered one of the premium office markets in South Florida. It has more than 6.5 million square feet of prime office space and more than 600,000 square feet of Class "A" office space. Commercial real estate in Coral Gables is desirable due to its proximity to Miami International Airport and downtown Miami, while also offering convenient executive housing nearby, allowing executives to live and work in the same city.
 
Coral Gables offers a wide range of housing choices including rental units, condominiums, and single-family homes in a stable residential real estate market. Over the years, homes in the City have appreciated at a rate significantly greater than many of the surrounding areas. The median home value, estimated at $710,000, has increased by nearly 1,400% since 1970 and has more than doubled since 1980. Strict zoning laws, a favorable property tax rate and responsive municipal services, together with beautiful residential areas, make Coral Gables an ideal place to work and live.
 
Few cities in the world offer the affluence, quality of life, temperate weather, and established Mediterranean ambiance of Coral Gables, plus all the benefits of a major urban downtown site: Accessible to the employee population and visitors; convenient shopping; high quality of available labor; luxury service image; metropolitan transportation; Coral Gables Trolley; affordable and plentiful municipal parking; Merchant Validation Program providing two hours free parking to shoppers; and multinational corporations.
 
The more than 175 multinational corporations, employing approximately 6,000 employees,, have varied Interests including oil production, healthcare, biomedical research, international finance, import and export, transportation, telecommunications, manufacturing, travel and tourism, publishing, news information services, and construction/real estate.  Although the majority of the multinational companies locate in Coral Gables to service Latin America, many of the offices have expanded their reach to include other parts of the globe due to reliable telecommunications, multilingual /multicultural professional staff, and ease of international travel. A sampling of multinationals located in the City of Coral Gables includes:    Alcoa Inter-America; American Airlines; Apple Computer, British Broadcasting Corp.; Campbell Sales Latin America; ChevronTexaco Carib./Central Amer.; Club Med; Danone Foods Latin America; Eastman Chemical Latin America; ExxonMobil Inter-America; Fleishman-Hillard, Inc.; HBO Latin America; IBM Corporation; Latin Trade Magazine; Lexmark International Latin America; PanAmSat; Sotheby’s; Walt Disney; and Television International Latin America
 
For additional information on the City of Coral Gables, contact the City’s Office of Public Affairs at 305-460-5205.

Hollywood’s Art and Culture Center
Promoting Artists Since 1975

Founded in 1975 as a private, non-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation, the Art and Culture Center of Hollywood (ACCH) found its niche in South Florida’s art scene by promoting contemporary, innovative artists and programs at its small, beachfront gallery. 
 
In 1991, the Art and Culture Center moved to the city-owned, historic (circa 1924) Kagey mansion in downtown Hollywood at 1650 Harrison St. The move allowed immediate expansion in display space, and also added classrooms for youth and adult arts education. After renovations, the Art and Culture Center of Hollywood’s new home opened to the public on Feb. 2, 1992.
 
Also in the early ‘90s, the Art and Culture Center opened its Arts School, which is located in an adjacent building at 1626 Harrison St.
 
The Center redefined its mission in 1997 to become a visual and performing arts center. To that end, in 1999 the Art and Culture Center launched its free OceanDance event, which takes place annually on Hollywood Beach and has featured such notable performers as Mikhail Baryshnikov and his White Oak Dance Project. In 2000, it took over the programming of the city’s Hollywood Central Performing Arts Center, a 500-seat theater located at 1770 Monroe St. The next year, the Center launched its annual dance series.
 
Today, the Art and Culture Center provides high-quality adult and children’s visual and performing arts education; thought-provoking, stimulating visual art exhibitions; and cutting-edge, inspired contemporary dance performances with a $1.6 million annual budget.
 
The Art and Culture Center’s educational programming includes adult and children's arts classes, after-school and outreach programs, camps and other art curriculum that meet Sunshine State Standards.
 
Committed to creating opportunities for all people to experience the visual and performing arts, the Center offers a free admission day on the third Sunday of every month. During this event, children and their caregivers can also participate in a fun, hands-on visual arts activity.     
 
Its outreach programs include co-sponsoring a drama program along with the City of Hollywood’s Parks and Recreation Department at a number of community centers; arranging artistic directors/choreographers to teach dance at local schools; and co-presenting along with the Broward Education Communications Network a distance learning visual and performing arts series for all Broward County students.
 
For more information on the Art and Culture Center of Hollywood, call 954-921-3274 or visit www.artandculturecenter.org.
 
PHOTO IDS
1. The Art and Culture Center of Hollywood

Hollywood’s Crystal Vision Gala
Rescheduled for February 25

Due to Hurricane Wilma, the Art and Culture Center’s Seventh Annual Crystal Vision Gala, which was originally slated for October at the Seminole, is rescheduled to Saturday, February 25, 2006 at the same venue.
 
This “black-tie masquerade” event is an annual fundraiser for the Art and Culture Center of Hollywood. The Crystal Vision Gala also honors individuals in government, the arts, business and from the public. This year’s honorees who will receive the Crystal Vision Award for Support of the Arts include Florida Sen. Steven Geller, Esq. (government); Center Board of Trustees member Sam Morrison (community service); The Plaza Group/Ocean Palms (business); Marc and Robyn Pollack (individuals); and Cindy Stoddart, who will receive the first-ever Chairman’s Award. The internationally known Village People will perform at the gala, whose co-emcees are Brian Freeman of WIOD NewsRadio 610 and Elita Loresca, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
 
This event is presented by MCZ/Centrum Development Corp. and supported by the City of Hollywood’s Police Department, Hollywood Beach Marriott/Ocean Properties, Ocean Land Investments, Southern Wine & Spirits, and The Seminole Tribe of Florida. Gala co-chairs are Center Board of Trustees Chair Alan Koslow, Esq. and Hollywood City Manager Cameron Benson. Honorary Gala Chair is the Hon. Mara Giulianti, mayor of the City of Hollywood. Comcast, The Herald Broward, Hollywood Gazette and the South Florida Sun-Times are marketing sponsors for the event.
 
The Seventh Annual Crystal Vision Gala kicks off at 6:30pm with a cocktail reception followed by dinner, show, dancing, and a silent auction of one-of-a-kind exclusive items. Tickets are $250 per person. For more information and tickets, please call 954-921-3274, ext. 233 or e-mail rsvp@artandculturecenter.org. Call Alan Koslow or Bernie Friedman at 954-987-7550 for corporate sponsorships.
 
The Art and Culture Center of Hollywood is a vibrant, regionally distinct, contemporary visual and performing arts organization offering visual art exhibitions, theatre, music and dance performances. Educational programming includes adult and children's arts classes, after-school programs, camps and other art curriculum. The Center is committed to creating opportunities for all people to experience the visual and performing arts.

After-School Drama Programs at Hollywood Beach

The Art and Culture Center of Hollywood, along with the City of Hollywood’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts, is offering eight-week after-school drama classes for children on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at the Hollywood Beach Culture and Community Center (HBCCC), 1301 South Ocean Drive. These workshops are ongoing through the school year.
 
The Tuesday session is designed for children ages 4-7, the Wednesday after-school class is for teens ages 12-15, and the Thursday workshops are geared to children ages 8-11.
 
The class for 4-7 year olds runs 4 to 5:30 p.m., while the other sessions take place from 4 to 6 p.m. All after-school drama programs conclude with a short presentation for family and friends.
 
In all courses, students will learn the basics of acting and performing, including improvisation, character development, projection, articulation, costume design and set design.
 
Each after-school drama workshop costs $70 for Hollywood residents and Center members or $80 for non-residents and non-members.
 
To register for these sessions or receive more information, call 954-921-3274.

Another Parents’ Night Out

The Art and Culture Center of Hollywood will hold a Parents’ Night Out event Friday, Jan. 13. – a chance for parents to have an evening out on the town alone while their children ages 4-12 create art, participate in creative movement activities, play games, eat pizza and watch movies at the Center, 1650 Harrison Street. During this event, parents will drop their children off at 6pm and pick them up at 10pm. January’s Parents Night Out will be “Sensational Sundaes,” so kids should bring their favorite sundae topping to share with others.

Hollywood Center Promotes

The Art and Culture Center of Hollywood announces that Susan Rakes is now director of education and that Samantha Salzinger has been promoted to director of exhibitions.
 
Susan Rakes has been the Art and Culture Center’s curator of performing arts education since March 2003. At the Art and Culture Center, she oversees all visual and performing arts education programs, including the Center’s after-school drama programs at Hollywood Beach, distance learning and youth touring troupes. A Tampa native with more than 10 years’ experience in youth arts programs, Rakes holds a master’s degree in interdisciplinary arts education and administration from Nova Southeastern University.
 
Samantha Salzinger, who has been the Art and Culture Center’s curator of exhibitions since 2001, has raised the visibility of the Center within the arts community with successful, innovative exhibitions of local, nationally and internationally known artists and educational programs. A master’s graduate of Yale University, she also created the Center’s Hollywood All-Media Juried Biennial, which is open to all Florida artists.

The Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce will pay homage to Miami Beach's golden age at the Annual Dinner Gala at the Eden Roc Renaissance Resort & Spa on January 14, 2006.
 
Frank Sinatra, Jr. will headline the Miami Beach Chamber's signature event and help the community pay its respects to the 2006 Dinner Gala Honorees, a group that includes one of Miami Beach’s classic MiMo hotels, a world-renowned artist and one of the pillars of the local banking industry.
 
In celebration of its 50th anniversary as a Miami Beach icon, the Eden Roc Renaissance Resort and Spa will receive the prestigious Citizen of the Year Award, to be accepted by Marriott International Chairman/CEO J.W. Marriott, Jr. Since 1956, the Eden Roc has graced Miami Beach's Golden Mile at 45th Street and Collins Avenue. Originally designed by architect Morris Lapidus, the hotel immediately became a landmark, setting a new standard for luxury Miami Beach hotels and attracting Hollywood's biggest stars. Today, after a spectacular restoration, the Eden Roc is a contemporary version of Lapidus‘ original design that continues to rank among the Beach’s best. At the Eden Roc’s request, a portion of the evening’s proceeds will benefit the Children’s Miracle Network. Previous Citizens of the Year include Miami Beach City Manager Jorge Gonzalez, developer Jorge Perez, producer Emilio Estefan and Hugh Hefner.
 
The Leonard “Doc” Baker Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to City National Bank Chairman Leonard Abess. Previous recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award include the Greenwald Family, the Fontainebleau-Hilton’s Stephen Muss and the Gumenick Family. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Children's Miracle Network, Best Buddies and the Mount Sinai Foundation.
 
Distinguished Service Award
 
Miami-based artist Romero Britto, whose signature style has made him an international celebrity, will receive the Jan Pfeiffer Distinguished Service Award for his generous charitable work in the community. Previous recipients include Saks Fifth Avenue, Ocean Drive Magazine and Mount Sinai Medical Center’s Martin J. Gelb Romero Britto’s work has gained international acclaim since his first major commission for the Absolut Vodka’s Art campaign in 1989, which launched him as the premier Pop Artist of our time. In the last decade, Britto’s career has gained momentum with the numerous corporate acquisitions made by companies such as Evian, Pepsi-Cola, BMW, and Disney. Recently, he was featured on the NBC show, The Apprentice and he has joined a small group of selected artists to exhibit at the 2005 Florence Biennale. He was also invited to create the official image for the prestigious 2006 Montreux Jazz Festival for a second time. Britto Central is located in Miami Beach. At Mr. Britto’s request, a portion of the evening’s proceeds will benefit Best Buddies.  Previous Jan Pfeiffer Award recipients include Saks Fifth Avenue Bal Harbour, Ocean Drive Magazine & Mount Sinai’s Martin J. Gelb.
 
Lifetime Achievement
 
It will go to Leonard Abess is Chairman of the Board, President & CEO of City National Bank of Florida. Mr. Abess is a Trustee of the University of Miami, where he is Chairman of the Finance Committee and a member of the Executive, Investment and Medical Affairs Committees. He is a Trustee of Fairchild Tropical Garden and The Nature Conservancy/Florida Chapter; and a former Trustee of the Chase-Allen Foundation. He is the former Chairman of the Board of Mount Sinai Medical Center, where he remains a Founder and Trustee. He is former Chairman of the Mount Sinai Finance Committee, Audit Committee and Nominating Committee; and former Treasurer of the Medical Center's Board of Trustees. At Mr. Abess’ request, a portion of the evening’s proceeds will benefit Mount Sinai Foundation. Previous recipients of the Doc Baker Award include Stephen Muss, the Gumenick Family and the Greenwald Family.
 
For more information on the awards, contact MBCC Marketing & PR Director Manuel Pila at manuel@miamibeachchamber.com.

Sunny Isles Beach: Young and Beautiful
 
The city of Sunny Isles Beach was actually founded in 1920 when a private investor purchased a 2,26 square mile tract of land  -- an island in the northeast corner of Dade County. Although he named it Sunny Isles -- the Venice of Americas -- it wasn’t until June 16, 1997 when it was officially incorporated,
 
Today, led by Mayor Norman Edelcup, the city has a reputation as ‘America’s Riviera.” It is often referred to as the city “of sun and sea,” The city’s three single family communities --Golden Shores, Atlantic Isle and Golden Gate --are recognized among Dade’s finest living areas, along with the luxury residential condominiums which are steadily replacing outdated motels. Interesting is the fact that a recent statistical report showed a growing number of young families who want to be near the ocean in addition to the growth in tourists and part-of-the-year occupancy.
 
In addition to the renaissance on the East side of Collins Avenue, there is a notable development of a new park and improving the infrastructure and the City is laying the groundwork for future construction.