Tampa Bay Business Journal - June 22, 2012

TAMPA - In this week's Tampa Bay Business Journal report, editor Alexis Muellner discusses the state of the area's retail scene, the continuing growth in revenue of local direct response marketing firms and the ongoing search for a new Port of Tampa Director.

The Tampa Bay retail market shows signs of slow improvement. Unfortunately, the brightest signs are in businesses that offer consumers the biggest bang for their money: discounters, dollar stores, fast food joints and convenience gas stations.

A number of area production facilities that serve the direct response television industry have plans to expand. Strong demand from clients ranging from entrepreneurs to major corporations is helping businesses expand at a time when other creative industries have contracted.

The Tampa Port Authority has a June 28 deadline for executive search firms to make proposals for finding a replacement for outgoing port director Richard Wainio. There are concerns by some the seven-member board is moving too fast in their search for a new director.

For more information on these stories, click on the video player on the left to watch this week's report.