Business Litigation and Disputes in Jacksonville

As of 2020, Jacksonville is Florida’s most populous city and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States.

It is the county seat of Duval County, which merged with the city administration in 1968. Consolidation gave Jacksonville its enormous size and brought the majority of the city’s metropolitan population within its borders. Jacksonville was expected to have a population of 929,647 people in 2021, making it the 13th most populated city in the United States, the most populous city in the Southeast, and the most populous city in the South outside of Texas.

Jacksonville is the fourth largest metropolitan area in Florida, with a population of 1,523,615 people.

In 2007, Forbes magazine placed Jacksonville third among the top ten U.S. cities for job opportunities. Jacksonville is the tenth fastest-growing city in the United States.

Jacksonville is located on the St. Johns River in northeast Florida’s First Coast region, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of the Georgia state line and 328 miles (528 kilometers) north of Miami.

Jacksonville’s port is Florida’s third largest seaport.   Jacksonville’s military bases, along with the nearby Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, make up the country’s third-largest military presence.

Banking, insurance, healthcare, and logistics are all important components of the local economy. The Jacksonville area, like much of Florida, relies heavily on tourism, notably golf tourism.

 Jacksonville’s Business Climate

 Jacksonville has a large deep-water port, which contributes to its status as a significant port for vehicle imports in the United States, as well as the state’s primary transportation and distribution hub. Jacksonville at one time was a major dairy hub with Gustafson’s Farm and Skinner Dairy, however, this sector of the economy has dwindled over time.

Distribution, financial services, biomedical technology, consumer goods, information services, manufacturing, insurance, and other industries all contribute to the area’s economy.

Major Corporations in Jacksonville

 At least four Fortune 500 firms have offices in Jacksonville:

• CSX Corporation,
• Fidelity National Financial,
• Fidelity National Information Services,
• and Southeastern Grocers.

The Home Depot owns Interline Brands, which is situated in Jacksonville. Florida Blue, Swisher International Group, BOA Merrill Lynch, Fanatics, Crowley Maritime, Web.com, Firehouse Subs, and Deutsche Bank are among the noteworthy organizations based in or with a significant presence in Jacksonville.

Tourism Industry in Jacksonville

In 2008, 2.8 million people stayed overnight in Jacksonville, spending approximately $1 billion. The entire economic impact was $1.6 billion, and nearly 43,000 jobs were supported, accounting for 10% of the local employment.

Financial services and banking

Jacksonville has a lengthy history in banking and finance in the region. From the turn of the century until the 1980s, locally headquartered Atlantic National Bank, Florida National Bank, and Barnett Bank dominated the industry in Florida, until being bought in a national wave of mergers and acquisitions that swept the entire financial sector. Barnett Bank was the final of these banks to be acquired by NationsBank in 1997, and it was the largest financial merger in US history at the time.

The city continues to be renowned nationally and internationally as the home of two Fortune 500 financial services corporations, Fidelity National Financial and FIS, with FIS being a global leader in financial technology. EverBank is the state’s largest bank by deposits, with headquarters on the banks of the St. Johns River in Downtown Jacksonville. Ameris Bancorp, Atlantic Coast Financial, Black Knight Financial Services, MedMal Direct Insurance Company, US Assure, Jax Federal Credit Union, and VyStar Credit Union are among the city’s significant financial services institutions. The Jacksonville Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta is also located in the city.

Jacksonville’s financial sector, like that of other Sunbelt towns like Atlanta, Tampa, and Charlotte, has benefited from a fast changing business culture. Financial institutions are nearshoring their operations away from high-cost locations like Wall Street, and certain trading tasks have been moved to Jacksonville. Jacksonville has become a viable choice for transferring personnel due to its comparatively low real estate costs, fast plane access to New York City, great quality of life, and 19,000 finance sector employees.

The expansion of Deutsche Bank in the city is an example of such development. Only New York is larger than Deutsche Bank’s US operation, which is based in Jacksonville. They’re also an example of a company that has relocated to the suburbs. Macquarie Group, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase, Citi, Citizens Property Insurance, Fidelity Investments, Ally Financial, and Aetna are among the companies with a significant presence in Jacksonville. [134] 

Jacksonville Logistics Industry 

With Jacksonville International Airport, ship repair yards, and substantial freight-handling facilities, Jacksonville is a rail, air, and highway focal center as well as a busy port of entry.

The main exports include lumber, phosphate, paper, cigars, and wood pulp, while imports include vehicles and coffee.

On November 9, 2007, the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce registered Jacksonville America’s Logistics Center as a trademark to highlight the city’s transportation sector and capabilities. On August 4, 2009, it was formally registered. In 2009, Cornerstone began marketing the city as “America’s Logistics Center.” On Interstate 95, signs have been added to the existing city limit markers.

The Port of Jacksonville, a seaport on the St. Johns River, is a major source of revenue for the city. Port activity supports around 50,000 employment in Northeast Florida, with a $2.7 billion economic impact: TOTE Maritime, Crowley Maritime, and Trailer Bridge, the three maritime shippers that ship to Puerto Rico, are all based in Jacksonville.

Jacksonville Manufacturing

Manufacturing employs 4.5 percent of the city’s workforce, compared to 8.5 percent nationally.

The old Naval Air Station Cecil Field, which closed in 1999 as part of the 1993 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) decision, is now the Cecil Commerce Center. It was the largest military base in the Jacksonville area, with a total area of 22,939 acres (92.83 km2). The parcel accounts for more than 3% of Duval County’s total land area (17,000 acres (69 km2)). The industrial and commercial-zoned hub has mid- to large-size development lots available, as well as strong transportation and utility facilities, including Florida’s third-longest runway.

Technology and the media

The Florida Times-Union is Jacksonville’s and the First Coast’s most widely circulated daily newspaper. Its official website is Jacksonville.com. The Financial News & Daily Record is a business and legal daily newspaper published every day. The Jacksonville Business Journal, an American City Business Journals newspaper focused on business news, Folio Weekly, the city’s leading alternative weekly, and The Florida Star and the Jacksonville Free Press, two African-American-oriented weeklies, are among the city’s weekly papers.

Parents are served by Jax4Kids, a monthly newspaper. EU Jacksonville is a monthly entertainment magazine published in Jacksonville, Florida. The Coastal is a local online magazine that also has a print edition published quarterly. Jacksonville is the country’s 47th-largest local television market. Jacksonville has traditionally been a medium-sized market despite its enormous population because the surrounding suburbs and rural areas are not substantially larger than the city.

 WTLV 12 (NBC) and its sister station WJXX 25 (ABC), WJAX-TV 47 (CBS) and WFOX-TV 30 (Fox; with MyNetworkTV/MeTV on DT2), which operates WJAX-TV under a joint sales and shared services agreement, WJCT 7 (PBS), and WCWJ 17 (PBS) are among the television stations that serve it (CW). WJXT 4, WCWJ’s sister station, was previously a CBS affiliate before becoming independent in 2002. Jacksonville is the 46th-largest local radio market in the United States, and it is dominated by Cox Radio and iHeartMedia, the same two huge ownership companies that dominate the radio industry nationwide. WOKV 690AM, the flagship station for the Jacksonville Jaguars, is the most popular AM radio station in terms of ratings. WOKV began simulcasting on 104.5 FM as WOKV FM in May 2013. WAPE 95.1 FM and WKSL 97.9 FM are the only radio stations carrying a mostly contemporary hits format. WAPE 95.1 FM has controlled this niche for over 20 years, but WKSL 97.9 FM has recently challenged it (KISS FM). WJBT 93.3 (The Beat) is a hip-hop/R&B station, and 96.9 (The Beat) is an R&B station.

Under the title Power 106.1, WJGL broadcasts a Classic Hits format, while WJGL-HD2 broadcasts an Urban CHR format. WWJK 107.3 broadcasts a Mainstream Rock format under the pseudonym “107.3 Planet Radio.” WEZI 102.9 is a “Easy 102.9” adult contemporary station, while 96.1 WEJZ is a “96.1 WEJZ” adult contemporary station. WXXJ X106.5 is a local alternative station, WQIK 99.1 is a country station, as is WGNE-FM 99.9, and WJCT 89.9 is a local NPR affiliate. WJKV 90.9 FM is a K-LOVE station operated by the Educational Media Foundation. State of the Re:Union, an NPR and PRX radio show hosted by performance poet and playwright Al Letson, is based and produced in Jacksonville.

 Armed forces and defense

 Three US naval bases are located in Jacksonville. Jacksonville, together with the adjoining Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, is the country’s third-largest naval facility. Only San Diego, California and Norfolk, Virginia are larger. The United States military is Jacksonville’s largest employer, with a total economic impact of $6.1 billion per year. The Wounded Warrior Project is one of several veterans’ service organizations established in Jacksonville.

 Jacksonville Naval Air Station has a military airfield 4 miles (6 kilometers) south of the downtown area. The base employs around 23,000 civilian and active-duty personnel. 35 operational units/squadrons are stationed there. A runway for pilot training and a repair depot capable of activities ranging from changing a tire to complicated micro-electronics or whole engine disassembly are among the support facilities. A Naval Hospital, a Fleet Industrial Supply Center, a Navy Family Service Center, and recreational facilities are also on the premises.

Naval Station Mayport is the third-largest fleet concentration region in the United States. Mayport has a busy harbor that can accommodate 34 ships and an 8,000-foot (2,400-meter) runway that can handle any Department of Defense aircraft. The aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy, nicknamed “Big John” by locals, was stationed there until 2007. When the official Record of Decision was signed in January 2009, the Navy committed to stationing a nuclear-powered carrier at Mayport. To support the larger vessel, the port will need to invest about $500 million in facilities improvements, which will take several years to complete. The carrier was supposed to arrive in 2019, but an amphibious group was sent ahead of it.

 The Marine Corps Logistics Base at Blount Island is responsible for supporting the Maritime Prepositioning Force (MPF). This allows personnel to be quickly deployed to connect with pre-positioned equipment and supplies onboard forward-deployed Maritime Prepositioning Ships (MPS). The USS Jacksonville is a nuclear-powered Los Angeles-class submarine that bears the city’s name. The ship’s nickname is The Bold One, and she calls Pearl Harbor home. Jacksonville International Airport is home to the Florida Air National Guard. The Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville is located near Naval Station Mayport on the St. Johns River. Sector Jacksonville is responsible for activities between Kings Bay, Georgia, and Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Sector is home to the CGC Kingfisher, CGC Maria Bray, and CGC Hammer. Station Mayport is part of Sector Jacksonville and has reaction boats that are 25 feet long (7.6 meters) and motor lifeboats that are 47 feet long (14 meters).

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