ORLANDO-March 1 is the deadline for developers to vie for contracts on a planned $100 million, 486,300-sf convention center in Osceola County. A deadline for a planned $65.8 million agricultural center is still being determined. Ginn Co., Xentury City and Rob Miller are expected to submit separate development bids.

ATLANTA-Fewer sale deals are being made and those that are closed are staying on the market longer than in the past, a new Bullock Mannelly Partners Inc. study shows. Vacancies in the 141 million-sf retail inventory are expected to rise this year.

MIAMI-Locally based Esslinger-Wooten-Maxwell has moved in quickly to log 10 purchase contracts on the remaining unsold 144 units at the 630-unit Blue and Green Diamond Condominiums at Collins Avenue and 47th Street, a prime Miami Beach high-rise residential location.

ORLANDO-The St. Johns Water Management District, which carries a big stick in Florida commercial development circles, wants Volusia County to kick in $750,000 for the $1.5 million purchase ($1,078 per acre) of the Menard Ranch near Samsula, FL, 50 miles north of Downtown Orlando. The deadline is March 7. The land will be used for preservation.

ORLANDO-In the past two years, the Bentonsville, AR-based retailer has been rejected in Clermont, FL and in the Sanford, FL vicinity of Seminole County. Wal-Mart is going cash register to cash register with Minneapolis-based Target Stores Inc. in several area communities, but is still the market share leader among big-boxers.

ORLANDO-The California investor paid Maitland, FL-based Maitland Springs Inc. and developer Mike Fess of Equity Partners Inc. $18.55 million for the one-year-old, 100%-leased, 102,239-sf Sprint PCS Regional Communications Center at 965 Keller Road, Maitland.

ATLANTA-Fewer sale deals are being made and those that are closed are staying on the market longer than in the past, a new Bullock Mannelly Partners Inc. study shows. Vacancies in the 141 million-sf retail inventory are expected to rise this year.

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL-Locally based Stiles Corp. was also named member company of the year by the South Florida chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties.