When Mayor Dyer first took office in 2003, he convened the Downtown Strategic Task Force, a community volunteer committee to develop a road map for the future of Downtown Orlando. Ten years later, more than 140 of the task force’s original 166 recommendations are complete or in progress, resulting in 47 major projects representing $1.86 billion in investments. The largest of these projects was a package of three new community venues – the Amway Center, the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and a renovated Citrus Bowl.
In 2007 the City of Orlando approved a public/private partnership with Orange County for the construction of the three community venues. 2014 marks an historic year for Downtown Orlando and the entire Central Florida region as all three venues will be open. Additionally, this year, the City of Orlando and Orange County will break ground on a fourth venue – a Major League Soccer stadium, home to the Orlando City Lions.
With these venues, there isn’t a sporting event, concert or performance the City of Orlando can’t host. These projects bring together diverse communities to cheer on a hometown team and create pride and love for our community, while also drawing more international tourists and uplifting our economy by bringing jobs and opportunity to our residents and businesses.
Timeline of Major Projects
2014
December 14, 2014 Orlando Citrus Bowl Community Open House
November 19, 2014 Orlando Citrus Bowl Ribbon Cutting
November 12, 2014 MLS Stadium Project Community Meeting
November 6-9, 2014 Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts Grand Premiere
October 16, 2014 Orlando City Soccer Club Stadium Groundbreaking Event.
September 26, 2014 Orlando City Soccer Club Stadium Groundbreaking Event Officially set for October 16
August 27, 2014 Orlando Mayor Dyer and BLUEPRINT Worker Host Media at the Newly Completed Citrus Bowl Plaza Deck
August 4, 2014 Orlando City Soccer Club Stadium – Announcement of Future Groundbreaking Event
June 4, 2014 Citrus Bowl Reaches Midpoint on Precast Concrete Bowl “Forward Progress to the 50 Celebrates Orlando Citrus Bowl Construction Milestone“
April 16,2014 Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer Announces the Orlando Citrus Bowl will host the inaugural Cure Bowl in 2015, adding an additional post-season bowl game.
April 15, 2014 Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer Announces the Amway Center will host the 2016 and 2017 American Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Championships.
January 29, 2014 Orlando Mayor Dyer and Orange County Mayor Jacobs Kickoff the Reconstruction of the Citrus Bowl, the Newest Large Stadium to Be Built in the State
January 29, 2014 Citrus Bowl Demolition Ceremony (video)
2013
October 22, 2013 Orange County Approves $20 Million County Share for Major League Soccer Stadium Construction
June 26, 2013 Orlando Mayor Dyer and Commissioner Lynum Work-Along with 1,000th Central Florida Resident Hired Through the City’s BLUEPRINT Initiative on the Community Venues (video)
June 26, 2013 Amway Center Receives International Acclaim as Recipient of 2013 Customer Experience Award
February 25, 2013 City of Orlando Announces RFP for Construction Manager at Risk for Florida Citrus Bowl Reconstruction
January 2, 2013 City of Orlando Announces Procurement Website for the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium Reconstruction Project
October 3, 2013 Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer Holds Annual State of Downtown Address at Amway Center
2012
August 1, 2012 Orlando’s Cultural Arts Community Pumps Tens of Millions of Dollars into the City’s Economy: National Study Quantifies the Key Economic Role Played by Orlando’s Nonprofit Arts Industry
June 25, 2012 Mayor Dyer and Mayor Jacobs Announce Plan to Kick-Off Citrus Bowl Construction in 2014
June 22, 2012 Mayor Dyer and Mayor Jacobs Hold Press Conference on Citrus Bowl Renovations
February 26, 2012 Amway Center Hosts 2012 NBA All-Star Game
2011
October 1, 2011 Amway Center Marks First Anniversary
September 30, 2011 Mayor Buddy Dyer, Commissioner Lynum and Olive Garden Recognize Homeless Individuals Who Worked on Amway Center
September 20 & 24, 2011 Downtown’s Amway Center Wins International Honors
June 24-June 25, 2011 Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts Community Open House (video)
June 23, 2011 Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts Groundbreaking Ceremony
June 8, 2011 National Study Shows Benefit of Cultural Arts –“Orlando’s Cultural Arts Community Pumps Tens of Millions Into City’s Economy”
June 6, 2011 Mayor Dyer, Commissioner Lynum Holds Job Session for Construction of New Performing Arts Center
May 18, 2011 Mayor Dyer Provides Update on Performing Arts Center
March 11, 2011 Orlando Community Construction Corporation Announces Board of Directors and begins Search for Project Owner’s Representative for Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
February 24, 2011 Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs and the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts Announce Next Steps in the Plan for Construction
February 4, 2011 Media Invited to View Sports Memorabilia and Contents of the Orlando Magic’s Old Amway Arena to be Sold in Public Auction
2010
December 1, 2010 Florida Citrus Sports Shootout UF - UCF in First College Game at Amway Center
October 2, 2010 Amway Center Community Open House “Orlando Mayor Dyer Invites Every Central Florida Resident to the Amway Center Community Open House”
October 1, 2010 State-of-the-Art Amway Center Officially Opens for the First Time as Mayor Dyer Delivers State of Downtown Address and Launches Community Weekend
September 22, 2010 Amway Center Buses to Hit the Roads in Downtown Orlando: New hybrid electric LYMMO buses will feature art from the new Amway Center
May 4, 2010 Amway Center announced as host of NBA All-Star 2012
April 29, 2010 Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts Recognizes One Million Dollar Gift
April 29, 2010 Demolition of Orlando Fire Station 1 to Make Way for New Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
2007-2009
August 22, 2008 Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts Unveils Building Design
February 26, 2008 City Announces First Bond Purchases for Community Venues
August 6, 2007 Orlando City Council Approves Citrus Bowl Improvements, the Amway Center and the Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts
July 26, 2007 Orange County Board of County Commissioners Approves Citrus Bowl Improvements, the Amway Center and the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
June 24, 2007 District 5 City Commissioner Daisy W. Lynum and Community Organizations Host Construction Industry Business Forum for Community Venues
2002-2006
December 11, 2006 Orlando City Council Holds Public Workshop to Hear Findings and Recommendations of the Downtown Orlando Task Force
November 2006 City of Orlando Holds Public Workshop to Present the Downtown Orlando Transportation Pan Can we link to the Plan here?
September 28, 2006 Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Orange County Mayor Richard Crotty Outlines Most Significant Community Investment Funding Plan in Region’s History for Community Venues
July 2006 Orange County Commission Approves the Sixth Cent Increase of the Tourist Development Act
December, 2005 Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission Conducts Study on the Economic Potential of the Three Proposed Community Venues Can we the study here?
November 2005 Orlando City Council Approves Contract to Develop Comprehensive Plan for Downtown Orlando Venues
Spring 2004 The Orlando Performing Arts Center, Inc. (OPAC) is Created to Conduct Research for Orlando’s Future Performing Arts Center
Summer 2002 Mayor Dyer Creates the Downtown Strategic Transition Team to Revitalize Downtown Orlando
