This browser does not support the Video element.
Entertainment hub planned near Amway Center
Late breaking news events and top stories of the day are updated by the FOX 35 Nightly News Team along with the latest weather and tomorrow's forecast.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Plans for a huge sports and entertainment district in downtown Orlando would include a hotel, meeting and conference rooms, apartments, shops, and a concert venue, according to concept renderings of the possible future project.
The development would be located on what is now a vacant lot that was once home to Orlando’s police headquarters, at W. Church Street and S. Hughey Avenue, next to the Amway Center.
On Tuesday, officials announced that JMA Ventures and Machete Group had joined SED Development, LLC, and the Orlando Magic to spearhead the project.
JMA Ventures is a commercial real-estate and investment firm that also helped develop Downtown Commons, a mixed-use development next to the Golden 1 Center, home of the Sacramento Kings, in California. Machete Group develops and manages sports and entertainment venues, including Amway Center.
If approved and ultimately built, here is what the downtown Orlando sports and entertainment district is expected to include:
- 260-room hotel
- 16,000-square-feet of meeting and conference space
- 270 residential units
- 200,000-square-feet of Class A office space
- 125,000-square-feet of retail space
- 3,500-seat live event venue
- Urban town square
- More than 1,100 parking spaces
"Central Florida is a fantastic market for this type of mixed-use development, and this project will further energize downtown Orlando. We look forward to working with the Orlando community to bring the sports and entertainment district to life," said Todd Chapman, CEO of JMA Ventures, in a prepared statement.
It was not immediately clear when construction could begin or when the development is expected to be completed. FOX 35 requested an interview with the developers, but a representative told us the developers were unavailable.
"It kinda looks like a resort," said Blue Jorquera, looking over the renderings. "Looks like something you’d see at Universal."
Adjacent to Amway Center, plenty of Orlando Magic fans would pass it heading to games. Big-time fan, Charles Kwarteng, said he is ready for the blue tarps to disappear.
"It’s kinda like the eyesore on I-4, just ready to get rid of it," Kwarteng said. "Obviously, do something with it; it’s great parking next to the arena, but I feel like there’s stuff we can do here."
The proposed view would beat the current one, said Bobby Markham.
"It looks alright, I think it’ll be cool for business around the area for sure," Markham said, while his wife, Rebecca, was more on the fence. "It kind of makes everything in the middle kind of dwarfed," she said.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer was unavailable for an interview on Tuesday, but a statement from his office reads:
"The development of this catalytic site has long been a vision of the city’s as part of our continued revitalization of downtown and Parramore. We look forward to seeing this project move forward to create jobs and economic impact for our community while furthering our goal of creating more diverse amenities for our downtown neighborhood."
Dyer's office confirmed Jan. 16 that a meeting was held this week and the Municipal Planning Board recommended the project for approval. The next step is for approval of the Municipal Planning Board minutes to go before City Council on the scheduled meeting date of Feb. 5. Then, an ordinance will be drafted and come to City Council for two meetings. The dates of those meetings will be determined once the Council goes over the minutes.