The arts connect people. They enrich our lives. They help unite us. They give meaning to the world around us.
The arts also give us a sense of place and help us define who we are as a community. There is no doubt that the arts help make great cities even greater. Orlando is a great city and now we have a growing, world-class performing arts center.
Today is a great day for our local arts groups, the City of Orlando and our entire region. The groundbreaking for Phase 2 of the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts means that a dream that our community has had for decades continues to be fulfilled.
Phase 2 will add a 1,700-seat acoustical theater, Steinmetz Hall, which will be home to the Orlando Ballet and Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, the arts center’s resident companies, and The Green Room – a large rehearsal room and performance space.
Central Florida is fortunate that because of our strong tourism industry, we have a unique funding source that is not paid by local residents, but must be used to uplift our region through investments in arts, sports and cultural amenities. Per State of Florida Statutes, Tourist Development Tax funds cannot be used to fund schools and police and fire services. That means that the primary funding source for Phase 2 is not paid for by local residents.
Since the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts opened just over two years ago, we have seen the arts come alive with Broadway plays, festivals and concerts.
With Phase 2, our local arts groups will have the opportunity to not only entertain us, but also inspire us.
To the Orlando Ballet and the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, we’re thrilled that Steinmetz Hall will soon be your home. And for our community, we now have a growing, world-class arts center for our world-class city.
– Buddy Dyer, Mayor
