Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium [Renovation Completed]

[bulldogger]

So I guess with Amway having the option for naming rights to the new arena it might mean a new look for new arena. The only arena in the country, maybe world, shaped like a pyramid.

Oh Snap

[tm68]

...with a gild statue of Richie-Rich on top ;-)

[Hisma]

So I guess with Amway having the option for naming rights to the new arena it might mean a new look for new arena. The only arena in the country, maybe world, shaped like a pyramid.

haha

actually memphis' old arena was shaped like a pyramid. Slap an amway logo on that old beotch and have the worlds most ironic arena

[WeNeed2Progress]

Amway is tacky. Their logo is tacky. Everything about this is tacky.

Agreed. It cheapens the Arena and essentially cheapens downtown. Way to go.

[JRS1]

they might as well call it the "My @ss Arena".

Grand Rapids, meet your new sister city in the FLA.

[neon9]

haha

actually memphis' old arena was shaped like a pyramid. Slap an amway logo on that old beotch and have the worlds most ironic arena

It is still there, or was 2 years ago anyway. I don't know if they use it for anything though, I remember when they built it, it was probably built around the same time as the Orlando Arena.

I always wondered what the inside looked like....

[shardoon]

key arena in seattle is shaped like a pyramid too.

[pip]

http://www.orlandoskyscrapers.com/ViewItem-209.do

[Boomer136]

I stand corrected. I don't get out much is my only excuse. Memphis, I suppose a city named for a great Egyptian city would do this:

http://www.lightingdesignlab.com/locations...darena_fig1.htm

P.S., It seems in CA there is one as well. A larger scoop:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramid

And I thought I was making a joke...

Edited December 8, 2006 by Boomer136

[SMR17]

Why Why Why! Why would they even consider putting that lame duck name on our Arena? I can't wait to hear the jokes on Sportscenter.

[cwetteland]

Why Why Why! Why would they even consider putting that lame duck name on our Arena? I can't wait to hear the jokes on Sportscenter.

Consider .. consider? There was no considering going on here. Something was for sale (naming rights) and someone bought it (Amway). There was no considering involved. And the fact that Amway owns the team (more or less) helps.

[spenser1058]

From Scott Maxwell's "Taking Names" blog at orlandosentinel.com:

The scene at the Embassy Suites in downtown Orlando last night was a jovial one. A packed room was cheering on Mayors Buddy Dyer and Rich Crotty as the two men painted a picture of a downtown Orlando adorned with a new basketball and concert arena, a renovated Citrus Bowl and a first-class performing-arts center. The main question I had at the time was: Why?

Dyer and Crotty had long ago announced that they'd struck a deal to build all three of these projects -- over the objections of many. So why did they need to have a pep rally, cheering on efforts that most people considered were mostly ironed out? Because they're not. "We've still got heavy lifting," Dyer confessed afterwards.

It looks like the deal isn't as set as many people thought. The Magic and city are still in heated negotiations. And now, with the local tourism economy slowing, there's worry about the health of the hotel taxes needed to build all this. And all this may be prompting second thoughts from city and county commissioners.

At Tuesday night's event -- organized by Project Hometown, which is a group of civic and business leaders championing all of these projects -- Disney exec Jim Lewis urged attendees to lobby both county commissioners and city council members. "Tell them it's time to do something for us," he told the crowd of about 200. "Nothing's going to happen if we don't get involved."

One thing particularly strange about that scene was that Dyer and Crotty were standing on the stage at the time. To say that their peers need lobbying seemed to suggest that neither mayor had been able -- or would be able -- to achieve consensus on their own. Maybe that's exactly the case.

And since the debate over these three projects seems to be splitting wide open again, look for the critics and watchdogs to get involved again as well. I got a call from CountyWatch just today, saying that this good-government group plans on delivering a list of recommendations to Crotty and the commissioners next week. That includes a suggestion that local leaders hold at least three public hearings -- one for each venue.

In other words, a deal that many considered to be done several weeks ago, now seems anything but. So maybe there's a reason the pep rally was needed.

[UPSDAN]

deleted

Edited December 14, 2006 by UPSDAN

[spenser1058]

I think he was speaking as a citizen, not a Disney exec. Disney is supporting the venues, last I heard.

[Tim3167]

Saw a story on WFTV's 6pm news that Marc Watson is pushing the I drive location for the arena again.......Apparently he made a presentation at today's county commision meeting...

[Dale]

He wouldn't be doing that if he didn't see an opening. Is the 'Downtown Deal' unraveling ?

[corpkid]

If this thing falls apart, I swear I'm leaving! (Okay, I'm overheating, but still...). Why is it that cities like Fort Lauderdale get awesome amenities and we get the O-AMWAY-Enema, the Citrus Bowel and the Bob Carr (no disparaging remarks needed for that one)...

Seriously, we are NOT a small city and there is apparently quite a bit of money here, not mention we are the #1 tourist destination in the country... I'm getting very discouraged...

Can someone calm me down and shed some light on this...?

[Dale]

If all I'd known about was the Scott Maxwell column, then I wouldn't have been concerned, probably chalked it up to Maxwell stirring the pot. But if Watson really is dusting off his I-Drive proposal, that must mean there are cracks in the dam.

[Boomer136]

I wrote what?

If you post: don't drink. If you drink: don't post.

I should post that somewhere....

(Original post deleted)

Edited December 15, 2006 by Boomer136

[Pieson]

Lord knows if they actually consider moving the arena to I-drive I will be the first one out there protesting

either way, I will voice heavy dismay and opposition if they are not able to pull this together and get our new facilties by the proposed 2010 date

[Whipp]

if they are worried now about funding, why not scale back and take the citrus bowl renovation off the list. it seems completely pointless to me anyway. the other too are no brainers, but why renovate the citrus bowl?? as someone mentioned earlier, it is used 2 days out of the year now, minus small community events. plus i always get annoyed when the lump it in with downtown. its about as downtown as pine hills is!

[Pieson]

if they are worried now about funding, why not scale back and take the citrus bowl renovation off the list. it seems completely pointless to me anyway. the other too are no brainers, but why renovate the citrus bowl?? as someone mentioned earlier, it is used 2 days out of the year now, minus small community events. plus i always get annoyed when the lump it in with downtown. its about as downtown as pine hills is!

I second that

I would say set immediate priority for the latter two

and put the stadium renovation on hold untill proper funding can be secured

however, I find the eventual renovation important primarily the impact it will have on the surrounding area.

As it stands now, I think the stadium is a trash dump, which would imspire or stimulate little or no developement in its surrounding areas

[cwetteland]

... The Citrus Bowl is a two day facility looking for something with which to fill the other 363 days. Even UCF wants to spend money that could be better spent on a host of other shortcomings on a six day (if they are lucky) a year use space.

My comment is not meant to justify the Citrus Bowl upgrades ... But too much emphasis is being placed on the loss of UCF as a tenent. First there are 3 other games not 2, second two of those other games (the FL Classic and the CapOne sell out, and finally (and this is the biggest one), a much bigger issue than use of the facility is attracting people to Orlando to spend money in hotels, restuarants, theme parks, and stores. All three of the remaining games do that while except for a few diehard We Are Marshall fans, UCF games don't contribute in that area. I would guess the loss of UCF to the C-bowl is very minor to the overall picture.

[F-L-A]

I second that

I would say set immediate priority for the latter two

and put the stadium renovation on hold untill proper funding can be secured

Put the stadium renovation on hold until an NFL team can be secured. Otherwise, bulldoze it. It's pointless now.

[spenser1058]

Good news from the Sentinel tonight:

The proposed Orlando performing arts center has a new name -- and is $25 million richer for it.

Thanks to a gift from the Dr. Phillips Charities, the arts complex planned for downtown Orlando will be the Dr. P. Phillips Orlando Performing Arts Center.

The $25 million gift from the Orlando-based charities boosts the amount raised privately for the performing-arts center to $45.5 million -- almost halfway toward its stated goal of $100 million.

"We're just hardly breathing, we're so excited," said Rita Bornstein, president emerita of Rollins College and chair of the Orlando Performing Arts Center's fundraising committee.

"I can't think of a better fit -- the name of this legendary pioneer on this forward-looking facility."