Right now, if you’re driving down the 17th Street Causeway or glancing at the Fort Lauderdale skyline, things look different. It isn’t just the usual South Florida crane-and-dust routine. There’s a specific, aggressive energy to the Broward County business news cycle as we kick off 2026.
Honestly, it’s a weird time. We’ve got billion-dollar convention center expansions finally coming to life, yet there’s this lingering tension over school board finances and a job market that's cooling in some spots while absolutely catching fire in others. It's a lot to keep track of.
The Big Reveal on 17th Street
The most obvious headline lately is the Omni Fort Lauderdale Hotel. It finally had its ribbon-cutting in late December, and it’s basically the centerpiece of the whole $1 billion Convention Center expansion. If you haven’t seen it, the thing is massive—29 stories and over 800 rooms.
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But here is the part that actually matters for local business owners: the "waterfront plaza" is slated to open later this year. It’s meant to be a pedestrian-friendly park with public access. For a long time, that area felt like a fortress you only entered if you had a badge for a boat show.
Moving that barrier is a huge deal. Broward County Commissioner Michael Udine has been pretty vocal about this trajectory, pushing the idea that we’re moving from "seasonal destination" to a year-round economic powerhouse. The county expects this project alone to pump $450 million annually into the local economy. That's not small change.
Broward County Business News: The "DOGE" Drama and Budget Wars
You can’t talk about the local business climate without mentioning the elephant in the room. Or rather, the Governor in the room.
Just this week, Governor Ron DeSantis called the Broward County school district a “disaster.” It’s a mess. We’re talking about a $3 million office lease that got scrapped, resulting in a lawsuit, and some pretty serious questions about how teacher referendum money was handled.
Now, Superintendent Howard Hepburn is basically welcoming state help to "streamline operations." Some board members are even asking for a full-scale review from the state’s Department of Government Efficiency. This matters because the school district is one of the largest employers in the region. If their finances are in shambles, it ripples through every local vendor and contractor they touch.
What’s Happening with Jobs?
Let’s look at the raw numbers for a second. Broward’s unemployment rate hit 4.6% in late 2025.
That might sound low, but it's actually up from 3.2% the year before. People are starting to notice. While the state average is hovering around 4.9%, the jump in Broward suggests a bit of a reset.
But check this out—the sectors that are growing aren't the ones you'd expect to just "coast."
- Financial Activities: This sector added about 1,400 jobs, the highest growth in the state for that category.
- Leisure and Hospitality: Still a beast, adding over 2,100 jobs.
- Construction: Actually lost about 1,700 jobs.
It’s a bit of a paradox. We see cranes everywhere, yet the labor data shows a dip in construction employment. This usually happens when major projects—like the first phases of the Convention Center—wrap up and the next wave of projects is still in the permitting "purgatory" phase.
The Las Olas Transformation
If you’re into the hospitality scene, Las Olas is basically becoming a Miami-style culinary hub.
The "Caviar Club" is coming later this year. It's an '80s-themed luxury steakhouse that’s trying to bring a high-energy, New York members'-club vibe to downtown. Then you’ve got Amal, the Lebanese spot from Coconut Grove, making its way north.
It’s interesting because, for years, Fort Lauderdale business was defined by "nautical-casual." Now, it’s all about maximalist glamour and high-end service. Whether or not that sits well with the locals who liked the old, gritty Lauderdale is a different story, but the money is clearly flowing toward luxury.
Aviation and the Terminal 5 Push
If you’ve flown through FLL lately, you know it’s a squeeze.
That’s why the Terminal 5 project is such a big deal. It’s a $404 million investment led by JetBlue and the county. They’re adding five new gates, and it should be finished by mid-2026.
JetBlue is doubling down on us. They just announced new nonstop routes to Orlando and Dallas starting in May. It’s a smart play—they’re positioning FLL as the "low-stress" alternative to Miami International, even as they expand their "Mint" premium service base here.
The Industrial Pivot
While everyone looks at the hotels, the smart money is in Pompano Beach and Plantation.
In early January, an industrial park in Pompano sold for a staggering $124.5 million. Why? Because logistics is the backbone of everything we buy. We’re seeing a lot of "spec office" space being built inside these industrial hubs—places where a tech company can have a warehouse in the back and a high-end R&D lab in the front.
STAT Business Systems recently noted a massive uptick in tech upgrades for these Broward firms. They’re moving toward "Zero Trust" security and high-speed document systems because the pace of business here has simply outrun the old infrastructure.
What to Do Next
If you're an investor or a local business leader, don't just watch the headlines. The real movement is happening in the permits.
Keep an eye on the "Business Management System" (BMS) being launched by the Broward Office of Economic and Small Business Development. It’s supposed to make it easier for small firms to grab a piece of these massive county contracts.
Also, watch the interest rate environment. Many of the "luxury" residential projects slated for 2026 are dependent on buyers who are sensitive to insurance costs. South Florida insurance is still a headache, and it's the one thing that could stall this momentum.
Take these steps to stay ahead:
- Review the OESBD portal: If you're a small business, get certified for county contracts now before the next wave of waterfront promenade bidding begins.
- Monitor FLL expansion phases: If your business relies on tourism or logistics, the mid-2026 completion of Terminal 5 will shift traffic patterns toward the south end of the airport.
- Diversify your labor search: With financial services growing, the competition for office talent is getting fierce. You might need to look toward the "Silicon Tropics" corridor in Plantation rather than just downtown Fort Lauderdale.
The landscape is shifting, and the 2026 data shows that Broward isn't just Miami's quiet neighbor anymore. It's a distinct, high-value market that’s finally starting to act like one.