Orlando City’s runaway success has led to a change in plans.
The team’s original 20,000 seat stadium was not going to be enough with the incredible success the team has had drawing fans during its inaugural MLS season. With the announcement owner Flavio de Silva and the team would privately finance the stadium.
The fruits of their labor and their ideas got a big push forward Friday with Orlando City unveiling plans for the new stadium — a $155 million construction project that will create a 25,500 seat stadium.
The new @OrlandoCitySC stadium will be the third largest in @MLS. pic.twitter.com/JpQ9ID9Kkq
— Christian Bruey (@CBrueyWFTV) July 31, 2015
.@OCPres says @OrlandoCitySC downtown stadium will now cost in excess of $1.55M and have a capacity of 25,500. pic.twitter.com/uVXW8DQ8NR — Christian Bruey (@CBrueyWFTV) July 31, 2015
If you remember the previous design, it was an open-ended stadium. The team has now closed off that open side and has completely filled the stadium on all four sides with upper decks. It should create a loud and intense soccer environment. And, as was mentioned during the press conference, it will be the third largest stadium in MLS.
Regrettably, the rotating lion will not be outside the stadium and able to look into the stadium to see its team play. A sacrifice for seating.
The delay in construction — Phil Rollins said remediation on the land has already begun in preparation for construction — means the stadium will not be ready for 12-14 months. The hope is for Orlando City to move into the stadium sometime toward the end of the 2016 season or for the MLS Playoffs.
Rollins and Orlando City also announced they purchased 10-12 acres east of the stadium (where the stadium was originally going to be) for a fan zone and plaza for the gameday experience.
So far Orlando City has been an unmitigated business success. The interest at the Citrus Bowl for this inaugural season pushed Orlando City officials to expand the stadium. The fans and interest have surpassed even the team’s expectations.
The team has been pretty solid too for an expansion club. They are sitting just outside the Playoffs even with a one-point July as the team enters the second half of the season after Wednesday’s All-Star Game.
Orlando City still has a lot of work to do to meet their goals on the field this season. Undoubtedly though, the team has surpassed its expectations and their fan based is extremely healthy. The new stadium is evidence of that and it should become a palace for this growing team.
Nikola Vucevic representing Magic at NBA Africa Game
Saturday morning, the Orlando Magic’s Nikola Vucevic will take part in the first NBA-sanctioned exhibition game on African soil as the NBA puts on the NBA Africa Game.
The game will feature several NBA players including Chris Paul, Marc Gasol, Pau Gasol and Luol Deng as the league showcases itself to a new audience. The NBA and its players participating have been in Johannesburg and South Africa much of the week conducting clinics and doing promotional events as part of the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders program.
For Vucevic, it has been an incredible opportunity to help grow the game and represent the league, his team and his country. He said in a conference call earlier this week that it was an incredible honor:
“It has all been positive so far for me,” Vucevic said. “The people here have been great to us. It was a really warm welcome from everyone. You can see everything the NBA is doing here means a lot to them. You can see when they have speeches and we go to different places, you can see there is a lot of emotion. The kids have been great, they are happy to see us. They ask a lot of questions and work with us. For me it has been a great experience.”
The game is probably going to be nothing more than an organized scrimmage/All-Star Game. Expect Paul to provide some highlights with Giannis Antetokounmpo and some of the young players on the Team Africa and Team World squads to showcase for the fans.
Vucevic said he had heard the event sold out in less than an hour. There is definitely a hunger to see basketball in this area of the world. Getting to see the first game played on African soil certainly has a novelty about it.
It should be an exciting game and event. It is great to see Vucevic and the Magic — trainer Keon Weise will also be there — participating in some fashion.
