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Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium [Renovation Completed]


jc_perez2003

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Citrus Bowl Might Get Much-Needed Facelift

Without UCF On Schedule, Top Teams May Play At Bowl During Season

POSTED: 5:59 pm EDT April 26, 2005

UPDATED: 6:28 pm EDT April 26, 2005

ORLANDO, Fla. -- People who live near the University of Central Florida told Orange County commissioners Tuesday why they don't think a football stadium should be built on the university campus.

After the meeting, residents agreed not to fight the construction if the stadium is built in the southwest corner of the campus, WESH 2 News reported.

But right now, it seems UCF officials want it in the north-central part of campus.

When UCF first announced it might build its own stadium, the city of Orlando was still hoping the school would consider staying at its current home field, the Citrus Bowl, near downtown Orlando.

But it's a different story now, and the city has new design plans in the push to overhaul the region's premier football stadium.

To say the home of the Capitol One Bowl is old is an understatement. Franklin D. Roosevelt was president when the Citrus Bowl was built in 1936.

Tom Mickle, the president of the Florida Citrus Sports Association, said his organization wants to peel the outdated skin off of the Citrus Bowl. He showed WESH 2 News reporter Greg Fox new plans that include outdoor club seating, chairback seats to replace the old benches, new end zone seats and air-conditioned luxury boxes.

The city also envisions hotels, shops and restaurants around the bowl.

With UCF talking about plans for building its own football stadium on campus, you might think the city and the Citrus Sports Association would be against that. But officials are starting to think that UCF moving out could be a good idea. Clearing the Knights from the schedule would give the city more room to draw top teams during the regular season.

"To attract things like an Army-Navy game, a Florida State neutral site game, a Notre Dame neutral site, all those are going to require a better facility," Mickle said.

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer is thinking even bigger.

"I think we would be very viable for a Super Bowl, and I don't think it is out of the question that some day we might be an NFL city," Dyer said.

Those big dreams come with a big price tag. Overhauling the Citrus Bowl could top $170 million.

The Florida Citrus Sports Association expects to have a financing plan for a stadium renovation by the end of summer.

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Finally, the words we were all suspecting have been stated by a public official.........SUPERBOWL.....NFL! I don't know about the likelihood of an NFL team but a Superbowl bid is definitly realistic with a refurbished stadium. We certainly have enough hotel rooms, affordable to luxury high end suites. We have numerous restaraunts from national chains to world class dining at places like Emerils. And we have enough nightclubs downtown alone to host the annual slew of celebrity and corporate parties, thats without including the I-Drive, City Walk and Pleasure Island clubs. I'm sure OIA could handle the influx of travelers without needing to erect a temporary terminal. Although the Superbowl usually goes through a rotation of warm weather NFL cities, the Superbowl has been played in the Rose Bowl years after the Rams and Raiders left for other cities so I think we have a realistic chance with the proposed renovations. Wow, I can barely contain myself just thinking bout it.

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I love that they are thinking big on this. I hope they can make it happen, regardless of what UCF does. I truly don't see an NFL team coming here any time soon (10 years+) with Tampa and Jax down the road, I don't see any reason why they put the Super Bowl here if the stadium was worthy. That would be awesome for Orlando! And it might also attract a BCS championship game if they reconsider their current rotation of sites again. :thumbsup:

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With a renovated stadium, I think Orlando would be a major contender for a Superbowl. Like was stated earlier, everything is already in place and of course the entertainment options are there (and getting more upscale as time goes on, especially downtown). I don't even think the city would have to invest that much to do it, certainly not as much as JAX had to put forward. Bring on the bad press!

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The Citrus bowl is in about the worst possible location in Orlando. I say demo it and start over somewhere else. What developer would want to come into that neighborhood and put a decent hotel or restaraunt in?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yup. Start tearing up the area just west of I-4, right in the center of downtown.

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Yup.  Start tearing up the area just west of I-4, right in the center of downtown.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

To me the ideal spot is in the corner on the west side of I-4 at the 408/I-4 Interchange in the spot south of CityView/Huges Square. The view of downtown coming in from I-4 from the southside of town would be unreal with the development downtown on the east side and a new stadium on the west side.

The only downside I can see to something like that is what people have mentioned on this board about how the stuff that is on the west side already acts as a barrier to development and my proposal wouldnt help that at all, it would just be really aesthetically pleasing.

In the end though, if the city is gonna have a world class facility, then I am all for it wherever it is!!

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I think the Citrus bowl should remain where it's at. Although I agree the neighborhood surrounding the Citrus bowl is not the best in town, moving the Citrus Bowl will only hurt the situation. In the long run redeveloping the immediate area around the stadium and gradually working on revitalizing the corridors leading to downtown, such as Church St., will be better for the city and downtown. Imagine a revitalize downtown core that stretches from Thornton Park to the east all the way to the citrus bowl to the west. Now add in the immense cultural diversity our downtown would have if we took this approach and really committed to revitalizing Parramore.

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Orlando would have to get an NFL team before it could get the Super Bowl since the NFL policy is to only put the Super Bowl in NFL cities.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm not so sure that's true. Up until now, the NBA has only had cities with NBA teams host the All-Star game, but it looks like Las Vegas will be hosting the game in 2007. This even after the NBA saying that they will not put a team in Vegas (though that may change in the future).

I think that in the far future--once we resolve our stadium/traffic/infrastructure issues--Orlando would be a good candidate to host the Superbowl. The NFL would like to keep the big game in fun sun belt cities (I doubt it will be in Jacksonville for a while) and so it will cycle between Miami, Tampa, New Orleans, Atlanta, Houston, Phoenix, San Diego, and possibly Pasadena. Orlando is right in the middle of the gigantic Florida footbal market, has great winter weather, plenty of hotel rooms, lots of attractions, and good nightlife. Once the city distances itself from the Mouse after the downtown construction boom and renovates the Citrus Bowl to NFL standards, I could see Orlando being a viable candidate for the Super Bowl.

If the NBA All-Star Game goes well in Las Vegas in 2007, I could also see Vegas as a potential Super Bowl site in the future. Although I have to admit that I have no idea what the stadium situation is like in that area.

And at the very least, if we aren't able to snag the Super Bowl, perhaps we could haggle our way into snatching the Pro Bowl from Hawaii once or twice.

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Orlando should look to what is happening with Wembley Stadium in London. That facility is being rebuilt purely for top notch entertainment and game events only. If done correctly, The Citrus Bowl could be marketed as the US equivalent to Wembley (a tough one, but not impossible) where only the best of the best play, are hosted, or are featured.

http://www.wembleystadium.com/

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  • 2 months later...

Anyone heard anything about the renovations of the TD waterhouse centre, the football stadium or the performing arts center?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not that I've seen, other than the suggestion in a recent Sentinel article about our local arts group maintaining that proceeds from the hotel tax could fund all three.

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  • 3 weeks later...

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