Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium [Renovation Completed]

[cwetteland]

I am confused, who is actually building these projects? I assume that they will all be owned by the city, but what is the role of OPAC? Are they just organizing and planning or will they have some sort of ownership?

Of course it sounds like the arena will be built and they keys handed to Rich DeVos but I'm pretty sure that's not the case. But the Magic did submit their plans for the arena so are they overseeing the construction?

I guess my question is what is the city's/county's role in these projects? Are they just handing the money over to the groups who will be using them to construct what they want or is the city/county actually going to be in charge of the construction. And who will actually own the finished projects? OPAC? Magic? I guess what is confusing me is the recurring phrase "building the arena for a billionaire." If the Magic are tenant and don't have an ownership interest in the building how is this different from any other building with a major tenant? Does the owner typically have the major tenant pay for the construction?

Maybe I'm just naive or maybe I'm just a Magic fan who thinks that without a new arena the Magic will be outa here.

The city and county are still working on organizing the oversite boards that will oversee the construction of the projects. OPAC is a committee organized by the city to come up with the initial requirements, research site selections and identify developers for the city for the PAC. Of course the Magic have had some say in initial design. After all, if it doesn't provide for their needs then why build it ... but the Magic won't oversee it's construction. Same goes for Florida Citrus Sports since they are the orgainization responsible for promoting and the CB venue. But the city and county will appoint the contruction oversite boards who will answer to the governments.

[Hisma]

anyone been here yet?

http://www.projecthometown.com/

Very good info

It's got pdfs of the different presentations, impact studies, and an general info on the different venues.

I personally e-mailed the city and county commissioners in support of the projects (by clicking the "how you can help" link).

Anyways, it's worth checking out if you have any questions about the projects and what steps are being taken. It also has an awesome skyline shot at the bottom of page

[uncreativeusername]

anyone been here yet?

http://www.projecthometown.com/

Very good info

It's got pdfs of the different presentations, impact studies, and an general info on the different venues.

I personally e-mailed the city and county commissioners in support of the projects (by clicking the "how you can help" link).

Anyways, it's worth checking out if you have any questions about the projects and what steps are being taken. It also has an awesome skyline shot at the bottom of page

Hella awesome site - thanks!

[bic]

Great angle of Downtown Orlando:

[prahaboheme]

That is a great angle. It is nice to finally see Orlando filling in on different sides.

[sunshine]

From the website

"The Orlando Performing Arts Center (OPAC) also envisions the project would include up to 2 million square feet of commercial space; a $100 million office building (CNL III); a $60 million, 200-room boutique hotel; a $210 million, twin-tower project with 300-500 residential condos; and another $410 million building with either office space or more residential condos; as well as new retail, restaurants and entertainment businesses."

At least 5 more high rise.

$100 Million CNL III, for 100 mil, isnt this should be significatly tall?

and I am very interested in the "$410 million building" that's 1/3 of the price to build Petronas Twin Towers.

[orlandonative]

Dont expect much in terms of height from CNL III.

[ORLANDOJBBOY]

I would guess no more than 10 to 12 stories from the renderings i have seen.

[sunshine]

[ORLANDOJBBOY]

It looks like residential next to the citrus bowl in that last rendering, hmm... that could be nice, i dont see how they are going to spend that much money on the citrus bowl and it doenst look much different in the renderings though. Hmmm.... they should just tear it down and build one with a dome on it

[bic]

It's costing how much again to throw some glass on the side of the Citrus Bowl?

[ORLANDOJBBOY]

I agree i think a new arena is a good idea, but the whole Citrus bowl renovation is a waste of money, that place is crappy when would they use the glass rooms down the side of the bowl, they cant even fill up the stadium for other events. I still looks exactly the same except for the glass and a bigger score board, looks like someone is pocketing a pretty penny or many pretty pennies.

[facilities man]

and I am very interested in the "$410 million building" that's 1/3 of the price to build Petronas Twin Towers.

You need to place that in context. That was five years ago when concrete cost 1/3 what it does now and built in a country where $1.50 an hour is top dollar wages for construction workers.

Edited October 30, 2006 by facilities man

[wally2169]

Awesome website with all 3 projects

Loved the interactive vieos

Is there any site out there that has any interactive computer generated image of the new PAC at all?

[neon9]

It looks like residential next to the citrus bowl in that last rendering, hmm... that could be nice, i dont see how they are going to spend that much money on the citrus bowl and it doenst look much different in the renderings though. Hmmm.... they should just tear it down and build one with a dome on it

Yeah since when did they re-zone the whole area around the citrus bowl? There is some residential, but nothing that looks like that! Most is industrial or sure looks like it.

[Bucktown_Orl]

You need to place that in context. That was five years ago when concrete cost 1/3 what it does now and built in a country where $1.50 an hour is top dollar wages for construction workers.

Yeah but $410 million is still alot of money for a tower anywhere. I think I heard that the new freedom tower in New York will cost $2 billion. With Orlando's crappy height limit what would a $410 million building look like

here? Does anyone know what this project might be?

[uncreativeusername]

I agree i think a new arena is a good idea, but the whole Citrus bowl renovation is a waste of money, that place is crappy when would they use the glass rooms down the side of the bowl, they cant even fill up the stadium for other events. I still looks exactly the same except for the glass and a bigger score board, looks like someone is pocketing a pretty penny or many pretty pennies.

s the whole project unnecessary? Possibly. The updates, however, do seem appropriate for the venue. The question is whether or not we need and want a bowl/stadium as a community, but it doesn't seem to me like the estimates are too high to accomplish what they want to accomplish.

If you're saying that not much looks different in those renderings besides glass and a bigger scoreboard, you probably haven't been inside the Citrus Bowl in the last 10 years and seen what crap condition everything is in - those are only a few pictures. The prison-style urinal troughs. Bench seating. Vending areas. General maitenence issues all over the structure...

(graphics for anyone who didn't feel like sifting through the website...)

old

new

[drewj]

What a waste. We are never going to get a NFL team in Orlando. So the whole pipe dream of us refurbishing the Citrus Bowl is completely pointless to me.

I might be in the minority here, but I love the MLS. Soccer specific stadiums (SSS) are beautiful and if Orlando had a SSS downtown it would add a nice, European dynamic. For 175 million dollars we could have built the nicest SSS in the country and lured expansion team here. I just looked up SSS's (haha) on wikipedia and only one of the new stadiums in the MLS cost more than 175 million (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soccer-specific_stadium).

The MLS in Orlando works. The MLS season is mostly during the NBA offseason so they wouldn't have to compete with the Magic. I just feel like we wasted a lot of money on a venue that is old and only hosts 3 games a year. We could still get a team but they'd have to play in the craphole citrus bowl with new and improved windows.

[bobbarker]

What a waste. We are never going to get a NFL team in Orlando. So the whole pipe dream of us refurbishing the Citrus Bowl is completely pointless to me.

I might be in the minority here, but I love the MLS. Soccer specific stadiums (SSS) are beautiful and if Orlando had a SSS downtown it would add a nice, European dynamic. For 175 million dollars we could have built the nicest SSS in the country and lured expansion team here. I just looked up SSS's (haha) on wikipedia and only one of the new stadiums in the MLS cost more than 175 million (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soccer-specific_stadium).

The MLS in Orlando works. The MLS season is mostly during the NBA offseason so they wouldn't have to compete with the Magic. I just feel like we wasted a lot of money on a venue that is old and only hosts 3 games a year. We could still get a team but they'd have to play in the craphole citrus bowl with new and improved windows.

I don't think anybody is using the possibility of getting an NFL team as a reason to revamp the Citrus Bowl. It is more an effort to keep the bowl games we have, and possibly get a BCS bowl in the future or other Conference Championship games. This renovation will do more than add windows, it will add club seats and more luxury suites, which bring in more revenue, thus making it a more desirable venue. It will also get rid of those hated urinal troughs and provide better vending areas.

The Citrus Bowl can be used as a Soccer Stadium, it was used in the World Cup back in the 90's. If MLS wanted to expand into Orlando, the Citrus Bowl could most definitely be used for this. It would make absolutely no sense to tear down the Citrus Bowl and build a SSS.

[drewj]

I don't think anybody is using the possibility of getting an NFL team as a reason to revamp the Citrus Bowl. It is more an effort to keep the bowl games we have, and possibly get a BCS bowl in the future or other Conference Championship games. This renovation will do more than add windows, it will add club seats and more luxury suites, which bring in more revenue, thus making it a more desirable venue. It will also get rid of those hated urinal troughs and provide better vending areas.

The Citrus Bowl can be used as a Soccer Stadium, it was used in the World Cup back in the 90's. If MLS wanted to expand into Orlando, the Citrus Bowl could most definitely be used for this. It would make absolutely no sense to tear down the Citrus Bowl and build a SSS.

The Citrus Bowl is guarenteed 3 games a year. I know it can be used as a soccer stadium. Thats not the point. We are putting lipstick on an ugly pig... for a few preseason NFL games, 3 college games and maybe a nuetral site college game once every few years. When UCF leaves there is no justification for pumping anymore money into it. An SSS, is just a recomendation for what we SHOULD have done with the money. I love everything about he PAC and the Events Center and the Citrus Bowl renovation is what screws it up.

[sunshine]

maybe we can get marlin.

[ORLANDOJBBOY]

Apparently the Marlins have been looking at new cities maybe orlando????

[shardoon]

Apparently the Marlins have been looking at new cities maybe orlando????

with the amount of money the marlins were willing to pitch in down in south florida, coupled with the money designated for the citrus bowl....... a state of the art baseball stadium could be built right here in orlando.

i still cant believe the city/county are not taking this opportunity more seriously.

[Violindude]

with the amount of money the marlins were willing to pitch in down in south florida, coupled with the money designated for the citrus bowl....... a state of the art baseball stadium could be built right here in orlando.

i still cant believe the city/county are not taking this opportunity more seriously.

Who needs the Marlins when we've got a 70 yr old renovated citrus bowl that wont hold a proffesional team? (sarcasm) I think the citrus bowl is a waste of money. That money should be spent on getting the Marlins or be put into the OPAC.

[neon9]

I don't think anybody is using the possibility of getting an NFL team as a reason to revamp the Citrus Bowl. It is more an effort to keep the bowl games we have, and possibly get a BCS bowl in the future or other Conference Championship games. This renovation will do more than add windows, it will add club seats and more luxury suites, which bring in more revenue, thus making it a more desirable venue. It will also get rid of those hated urinal troughs and provide better vending areas.

The Citrus Bowl can be used as a Soccer Stadium, it was used in the World Cup back in the 90's. If MLS wanted to expand into Orlando, the Citrus Bowl could most definitely be used for this. It would make absolutely no sense to tear down the Citrus Bowl and build a SSS.

I've heard that argument several times, even here (the NFL one). Not that people assume we'd get some expansion team or something ASAP, but it always seems to be at least implied that we could have one move here 'sometime'.

Let's face it, for the avg. fan what they need is better toilets (some are nicer already) and vending. Surely that can't cost too much? Hell a restaurant could come in and build onto the venue, with a view of the field, and they could cover the cost! Of course then again what restaurant would open to sell food 4 or 5 times a year?

Oh well....