Amway Center

[bic]

Orlando Events Center

Okay, now that we have the first real renderings for the new arena, I think it's time that we give the PAC, arena, and Citrus Bowl renovation their own threads, given the scope of each project.

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Orlando Events Center Design Unveiled

Orlando Magic Press Release

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Orlando Events Center/Amway Arena Comparison

Orlando Magic Press Release

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Orlando Events Center - Design Principles

Orlando Magic Press Release

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Fact Sheet

Opening

Fall 2010

Cost

$380 million (total construction cost)

Location

Downtown Orlando; bound by Church St. (north); Hughey Ave. (east); South St. (south); Division Ave. (west)

Owner

City of Orlando

Developer

Events Center Development, LLC

Operator

Allen Johnson, City of Orlando

Primary Tenants

Orlando Magic; Orlando Predators

Functions

NBA and collegiate basketball, arena football, indoor soccer, concerts, hockey, circuses, stage shows, exhibitions

Design Architect

HOK Sport

Local Architects

C.T. Hsu + Associates; Baker Barrios Architects, Inc.

Construction Manager

Hunt Construction Group in association with Rey Group, R.L. Burns, Inc., HZ Construction and Albu & Asscociates, Inc.

Program Manager

Turner Construction Company

Site Acreage

8.75 acres

Number of Levels

7: Event Level; Founders Level; Disabled Seating Level; Main Concourse; Club Level; Terrace Level; Press Box Level

Square Footage

800,000 square feet

Seating Capacities

19,000 (center stage concert)

16,000 (end stage concert)

18,500 (NBA)

20,000 (NCAA basketball)

17,200 (hockey/arena football)

Premium Spaces

56 suites; 4 Chairman suites; 2 super suites; 4 party suites (suites distributed on two levels)

1,428 club seats

328 loge seats

Sustainable Design

Sustainable building design will exist in various categories, including a sustainable site; water efficiency; energy optimization and atmosphere protection; materials and resource conservation; indoor environmental quality and health; and environmentally preferred operations and maintenance

MBE/WBE Participation

Commitment to Blueprint; 31% for design phase

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Amenities

� Outdoor patio overlooking Church Street with food & beverage service

� Six clubs on various levels

� Wide variety of food & beverage options

� ADA accessibility on every level

� Iconic 120-foot-tall tower with Tower Club and observation deck at top

� Graphic wall on I-4 exterior fa�ade

� 31,000 SF arena floor can be used for exhibition/trade show space, banquets and meetings

� Five banquet rooms and a conference room on club level

� Full service themed restaurant on club level overlooking event floor

� Themed fan experience zone and adjacent children�s fun zone on upper concourse

� 18 men�s restrooms and 19 women�s restrooms

� Information kiosks distributed throughout the arena

� Enclosed bridge connecting to planned parking garage

� Minimum one concession point of sale for every 150 spectators

� Public bar and food court on main concourse level with view of event floor

� Three street-level retail locations on Church Street

� Main concourse average 30 feet in width

� State-of-the-art center hung scoreboard with video capability; auxiliary boards located throughout the seating bowl; two LED ribbon boards on Founders level and club level fascia

� Full basketball practice court that can also be used for events seating up to 500 people

� 2 NBA locker rooms; home arena football/hockey locker room; visiting arena football/hockey locker room; official�s locker room; 6 star performer dressing rooms; green room for staging and hospitality; additional auxiliary locker rooms

� Team and City Venue Administration offices

� Media interview room and working media facilities on event level

� 6 truck docks

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Timeline

Click here for design photos of the Orlando Events Center

Fourth Quarter 2007

� Complete Schematic Design Phase

� Construction Manager Selected

First Quarter 2008

� Complete Design Development Phase

Second Quarter 2008

� Issue First Construction Document Package

Third Quarter 2008

� Complete Construction Documents

� Construction Begins

Third Quarter 2010

� Complete Construction

� Opening Event

Edited August 4, 2010 by bic

[bulldogger]

second.

so is that a large smoking area/deck?

and I assume by all the people walking through the palm trees that the building adjacent is the parking garage?

Edited December 10, 2007 by bulldogger

[bic]

and I assume by all the people walking through the palm trees that the building adjacent is the parking garage?

Yep...it's the currently existing parking garage.

[demon]

Yep...it's the currently existing parking garage.

Looks pretty good. I'd like to see what they will build around it. Is that I-4 whizzing by? It looks a bit close.

[OCF]

I'm very impressed by the interior. Like the Magic Blue color scheme and it seems like the sight lines will be good enough so every seat in the house has a decent view of the action. I'm no architect though so that's just my take as a spectator.

[bic]

I'm definitely pleased with this design. I'm not 100% gung-ho, but nevertheless very excited by it. It's awfully reminiscent of Boston's TD Banknorth Garden with its boxy stature, heavy stone-like facade interrupted by moments of transparency, towering column of light, and location adjacent to an elevated interstate (before the Big Dig sunk the highway and eliminated the off-ramps that wrapped around the building).

I really like that tower element at the corner of I-4 and Church Street and the blue motif throughout the design. It even looks like they might have paid homage to the old O-Rena by including fountains at the entrance on Church Street. The positioning of this building couldn't be better being at the crossroads of I-4 and 408; it's a high-profile site for high-profile events.

My only real beef with the design so far is that I'm not a big fan of boxy arenas, and the backside of this one looks pretty bland and uninviting from what I can see (again, much like TD Banknorth Garden). I would have preferred a more fluid design like Miami's American Airlines Arena or L.A.'s Staples Center. But like I said, I'm still very happy with these first renderings.

[OrlandoMagic3]

yeah i really like the roundness of the staples:)

[palmtree73]

So, that's what $480M gets us? I'm digging it, but I thought city codes required a visor. It would be really cool driving underneath one that extended halfway across I-4 (not). One of the things I'm liking the most is that some of the restaurants and bars will have access from the street that allows the arena to still be a destination when there's no event.

I'd hate to be a pessimist, but what's the first thing to go if this gets value engineered? A couple of palm trees or less glass?

Edited December 10, 2007 by palmtree73

[wally2169]

Me like it much!!!!!!

Nice design, something quite futuristic, 21st century design to it

This is a great addition to drive by on I-4

[bic]

During halftime of tonight's Magic game vs. the Hawks, they will discuss the new arena. Should be on FSN in a couple of minutes.

[bic]

A couple of notes about the new arena mentioned during halftime of the Magic game:

-800,000 sq. ft. - I think they said the current arena is 360,000 sq. ft.

-120-foot tower with club and observation deck that can be open 365 days a year.

-3 retail locations at street-level on Church Street.

[wally2169]

A couple of notes about the new arena mentioned during halftime of the Magic game:

-800,000 sq. ft. - I think they said the current arena is 360,000 sq. ft.

-120-foot tower with club and observation deck that can be open 365 days a year.

-3 retail locations at street-level on Church Street.

I believe the 360,000 sq. ft estimate of the current arena is correct

The new one is meant to be double the size

[Boomer136]

Looks pretty good. I'd like to see what they will build around it. Is that I-4 whizzing by? It looks a bit close.

Looks like parts of the eventual 2017 version of the I-4/408 interchange with the WB I-4 to WB 408 as the close ramp, and the WB I-4 to EB 408 on the inside.

It looks as if they are at least going to close Church St. for events, or is there a plan to make that stretch a full time pedestrian mall ala Franklin in Tampa or Lincoln on Miami Beach?

Edited December 11, 2007 by Boomer136

[JFW657]

Looks a little on the small-ish side.

I don't know if I like it or not.

[prahaboheme]

This seems pretty conceptual right now--I'm sure this will go through many revisions before we see the final design. It would be nice if the glass tower could rise a bit taller as to make more of an impact from I-4 and other parts of downtown. Otherwise, I think its great--it is one of the more urban and pedestrian oriented arenas out there.

[jack]

The street will be a fesival street, closed down for special events.

[sunshine]

The design was ok. Could be more innovative. On that second pics, it just look like a bigger version of the federal courthouse.

[bulldogger]

They need to throw some solar panel arrays up there on the roof to generate some of the electricity that this thing is going to burn up when trying to cool it during the hot months. Doubling the area will do what to the volume? Double? Triple? Quadruple?

[GregoryMCSE]

They need to throw some solar panel arrays up there on the roof to generate some of the electricity that this thing is going to burn up when trying to cool it during the hot months. Doubling the area will do what to the volume? Double? Triple? Quadruple?

I just hope the sight lines are good for Hockey. (the o-rena) had some problems. I also hope Mr. Amway keeps his promise to bring minor league hockey BACK to Orlando.

Long live the Solar Bears I miss them as much as Zeta Seven and Ronnie's....

Edited December 11, 2007 by GregoryMCSE

[neon9]

They need to throw some solar panel arrays up there on the roof to generate some of the electricity that this thing is going to burn up when trying to cool it during the hot months. Doubling the area will do what to the volume? Double? Triple? Quadruple?

A 'green' arena is a contradiction in terms if you ask me, but covering some of this behemoth with solar panels would help change my mind.

Plus I think OUC has a cooling plant near their building, maybe they can hook the arena up to it for higher efficiency.

Edited December 11, 2007 by neon9

[wally2169]

Here are some snapshots of the newly constructed and opened Prudential Center in Newark, NJ as a guide for arena design

Notice it also has a glass tower that adds to the archictecture outside and serves as a grand entrance going inside

Here is an image of the old Continental Airlines Arena that the Prudential Center replaced

The difference is clearly night and day

Out with the busted beat up and in with the sleek bad ass

[codypet]

Here are some snapshots of the newly constructed and opened Prudential Center in Newark, NJ as a guide for arena design

Notice it also has a glass tower that adds to the archictecture outside and serves as a grand entrance going inside

Here is an image of the old Continental Airlines Arena that the Prudential Center replaced

The difference is clearly night and day

Out with the busted beat up and in with the sleek bad ass

Explain why they can get sponsors like Continental Airlines and Prudential Healthcare and we're stuck with Amway.

[wally2169]

True but don't forget, Amway Arena was once the TD Waterhouse Center

Orlando Events Center isn't all that bad

At this point, I'm willing to take the Steak and Shake Center over Amway anyday

[sunshine]

Would be ironic if the new arena is called Brighthouse Centre.

[Hisma]

Would be ironic if the new arena is called Brighthouse Centre.

rofl no kidding