ORLANDO, Fla. — In an effort to bring more businesss to Orlando, the city's Downtown Development Board has been reviewing applications for those wanting to move into downtown or expand their existing business.

It's part of the Orlando’s retail stimulus program, where businesses may be able to receive grant money from the city.

What You Need To Know

  • Spa owner gets approval from city to modify his application for stimulus funds to expand his business
  • The city is still reviewing applications to attract more business to move downtown Orlando
  • The city is currently reviewing six new businesses that want to come downtown under their stimulus program

The program is designed to bring new businesses to the downtown area and help those already located in the city to grow in new locations.

“It’s been a great four years. So great that we’re having to expand because of it,” said Manny Carmona in his Luxe Med Spa Aesthetics business located downtown.

Carmona plans to move his business to Church Street to a space offering 4,000 square feet.

The only hiccup, in his initial application, Carmona would have received a flat-rate grant for expanding square footage by the city-minimum 125%.

In an attempt to cover skyrocketing construction costs, Carmona asked the city to approve a modification to his application that would give him credit for his much larger expansion.

“We are definitely modifying the retail stimulus program just to include the square footage. Construction is not cheap right now,” he said.

Carmona went in front of the Downtown Development Board on Wednesday, asking to modify his application and have the stimulus funds be based on square footage.

City leaders approved his request, which should benefit the spa owner and provide up to $200,000 for his growing business.

City leaders stated at Wednesday’s meeting that it has at least six other applications from mainly new businesses that want to start new operations downtown using the city’s stimulus program.