(Courtesy of Longhorn Steakhouse)
Grand opening
Longhorn Steakhouse had a ribbon cutting and grand opening on Nov. 14 for its new restaurant, located in front of Tampa Premium Outlets in Lutz. The steakhouse, located at 2648 Creek Grass Way, is the newest eatery among several recent arrivals including Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Chick-fil-a, Culver’s and BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse.
The approximately 5,700-square-foot restaurant seats about 200 guests. It is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The restaurant participates in Longhorn’s Harvest Program and donates unused, wholesome foods on a weekly basis to area charities or food banks.
For information, visit LonghornSteakhouse.com.
Trade mission
A group of 36 local business leaders flew to the Dominican Republic on Dec. 5 for a multi-day sales mission, hosted by the Tampa Bay Export Alliance, according to a press release from the Tampa Bay Export Alliance.
For the first time, staff members of the Pasco Economic Development Council, including President Bill Cronin, were among those participating in the TBEA mission.
The TBEA has hosted several missions including recent trips to Costa Rica and Canada. The alliance began in partnership with the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation, and Pinellas County Economic Development.
“The Tampa Bay region is stronger when we all work together, and I am confident the partnership between Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough will boost international trade, attract foreign investment and create opportunities for our workplace throughout the great region,” said Cronin, in a written statement from the press release.
The export mission to the Dominican Republic is sponsored by Tampa International Airport, Port Tampa Bay and Enterprise Florida.
During the visit, delegates received a commercial briefing and a “Doing Business in the Caribbean” briefing from the U.S. Embassy officials.
Thirteen companies will participate in the Gold Key Program, facilitated by the U.S. Commercial Service, which provides one-on-one meetings with companies located in the Dominican Republic.
For information, visit TampaBayExportAlliance.com.
Ribbon cutting
Happy Feet Plus will have a ribbon cutting on Dec. 14, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at 1051 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.
The free event will have beverages, light refreshments and prize drawings.
For information, contact The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce at (813) 994-8534 or .
Lunch n learn
A Lunch N Learn Business Forum is scheduled for Dec. 15 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce Don Porter Boardroom, at 6013 Wesley Chapel Blvd., Suite 105.
Guest speaker will be Bilal Saleh, principal partner in E-nor and a mobile industry expert. Saleh will discuss “online market optimization,” and provide tips on improving online exposure and focusing on your target audience.
The cost is $15 including lunch. Please RSVP, as seating is limited.
For information, visit WesleyChapelChamber.com, or call (813) 994-8534.
Ribbon cutting
Coldwell Banker, F. I. Grey & Sons, Residential Inc., will have a ribbon cutting and grand opening on Dec. 15 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at 24620 State Road 54 in Lutz.
There will be a drawing for prizes.
For information, email The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce at , or call (813) 994-8534.
Job fair
The Hilton Garden Inn, 2155 Northpointe Blvd., in Lutz, will host a job fair on Dec. 21 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The hotel is expected to open in February. Positions available include: bartender, servers, maintenance supervisor, executive housekeeper, housekeeping, chef, shuttle driver-houseman, front desk, sales and catering manager, and banquet captain set-up.
For information, visit TampaSuncoastParkway.HGI.com.
Pasco-Hernando SCORE seeks volunteers
The Pasco-Hernando chapter of SCORE, which is short for Service Corps of Retired Executives, is seeking volunteers to help guide local entrepreneurs start and manage new businesses.
The organization specifically is seeking individuals with expertise in these fields:
- Commercial Lender: A retired banker with experience in business loans, equipment loans, lines of credit, working capital loans and SBA (U.S. Small Business Administration) guidelines.
- Social Media Coordinator: Someone who demonstrates a strong working knowledge of social media and website optimization.
- Nonprofit Mentor: Someone with prior nonprofit expertise with existing and start-up organizations.
SCORE — founded in 1964 — is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, and has 300-plus chapters with more than 13,000 volunteers throughout the United States.
The mentoring program offers a chance for retired professionals to connect with fellow business owners and pass along their knowledge and experiences to the next generation of entrepreneurs in the community.
It also enables entrepreneurs to have a greater opportunity for success in their venture, as they benefit from their mentors.
For information about volunteer opportunities or SCORE training sessions, visit PascoHernando.Score.org.
