AMWAY CENTER MARKS FIRST ANNIVERSARY
A YEAR FILLED WITH MUSIC, MAGIC AND MILESTONES

ORLANDO, FL [September 30, 2011] – October 1 will mark one year since the state-of-the-art Amway Center opened its doors to the Central Florida community. In the span of one year, more than 1.4 million people have experienced the Amway Center, attending 200 different events, ranging from the biggest names in pop music, to sporting events and family shows, while also playing host to numerous free community events, rented private meeting space and several conferences.

In the first year, the Amway Center provided fans with extraordinary access to event coverage both inside and outside the arena — delivering more captivating video in higher definition, dramatic lighting and sounds, and an overall entertainment experienced that exceeds anything fans have previously had.

The Amway Center has had a record setting year with the highest grossing arena concert in Orlando history – Lady Gaga – and record overall merchandise and concession sales in the new building. In fact, in the first year, more than 78,000 hot dogs have been sold; enough to feed four sold out Magic game crowds.

”The Amway Center is much more than an entertainment experience for our residents,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. “The Amway Center has also become a vital part of Orlando’s economic recovery, from the jobs provided during construction to the opening of new restaurants and other businesses throughout Downtown.”

Over the course of the last 12 months, the Amway Center has become a powerful economic driver for countless local businesses. More than 65 new retail and dining establishments have opened in the Downtown Orlando core since January 2010 to welcome thousands of potential customers attending various Amway Center events. The Amway Center is also spurring private investment, last week the Orlando Magic announced they are exploring long-term planning options to relocate and expand their corporate headquarters to Downtown Orlando as part of a much larger sports and entertainment complex to be located in Parramore.

“It’s hard to believe we’re already wrapping up our inaugural year in the Amway Center,” said Orlando Venues Executive Director Allen Johnson. “The talent we’ve managed to bring here has been nothing short of amazing. We’ve got some exciting announcements on the horizon and I’m pleased to say plenty more legendary experiences lie ahead.”

Some highlights from the first year:

Total attendance 1,463,741
Total events 200
Biggest concert production Lady Gaga / 42 trucks + buses (April 15, 2011)
Highest grossing concert Lady Gaga / $1,460,286 (April 15, 2011)
Highest concert attendance Bon Jovi / 16,084 (May 15, 2011)
Highest merchandise sales Taylor Swift / $197,250 (June 4, 2011)
Total Orlando Magic attendance 816,421
Total concession sales $10,780,855.25
Total pretzels sold 40,902
Total hot dogs sold 78,380
Total popcorn sold 66,173
Total nachos sold 34,347
Total beers sold 533,894

Some notable firsts from the inaugural year:

First community event Mayor Buddy Dyer’s State of Downtown (October 1, 2010)
First concert Vicente Fernandez (October 8, 2010)
First Orlando Magic game vs. New Orleans Hornets (October 10, 2010)
First rock concert Eagles (October 26, 2010)
First NCAA basketball game University of Florida vs. University of Central Florida (December 1, 2010)
First country concert Brad Paisley (February 24, 2011)
First ice show Smucker’s Stars on Ice (March 20, 2011)
First Orlando Predators game vs. Utah Blaze (March 26, 2011)
First hip-hop concert Lil Wayne / Nicki Minaj / Rick Ross (April 6, 2011)
First sold-out concert Lady Gaga (April 15, 2011)
First NHL hockey game Tampa Bay Lightning vs. St. Louis Blues (September 21, 2011)

ABOUT AMWAY CENTER
The Orlando Magic served as the developer of the Amway Center, which hosts major national events, concerts and family shows. Opened in the fall of 2010, the facility is owned and operated by the City of Orlando on behalf of the Central Florida community. The Amway Center was designed to reflect the character of the community, meet the goals of the users and build on the legacy of sports and entertainment in Orlando. The building’s exterior features a modern blend of glass and metal materials, along with ever-changing graphics via a monumental wall along one facade. A 180-foot tall tower serves as a beacon amid the downtown skyline. At 875,000 square feet, the new arena is almost triple the size of the old Amway Arena (367,000 square feet). The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certified building features a sustainable, environmentally-friendly design and unmatched technology, featuring 1,100 digital monitors, the tallest high-definition video board in an NBA venue and multiple premium amenities available to all patrons in the building. For more information about the Amway Center, visit www.amwaycenter.com.

###