Today, the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts hosted the first presentation in its Center Stage Series. The update was held this morning at the Dr. Phillips Center offices across from Orlando City Hall. Nearly 100 members of the community attended the presentation, including City of Orlando Commissioner Daisy Lynum and City of Maitland Mayor Douglas Kinson. The Center Stage Series consists of project updates meant to bring the community together to learn about the mission and vision of the performing arts center and the status of its progress.
Speakers at today’s presentation included City of Orlando Commissioner Daisy Lynum, and Dr. Phillips Center Board Chair Jim Pugh and President Kathy Ramsberger.
“I’m happy to have joined the Dr. Phillips Center as a supporter 14 years ago. Travelers have to get a feeling that there’s more to Orlando,” said Commissioner Lynum. “The Dr. Phillips Center, at this time, is a family jewel in the rough for this community.”
The presentation addressed different aspects of the performing arts center, including funding, milestones, community outreach, design and construction, and minority and women’s business enterprise (M/WBE) updates. Ramsberger anticipates building momentum for the project throughout the next few months with several events, including the Fire Station No. 1 demolition, community concerts, Pop-Up Concerts and fall groundbreaking.
As designed, the Dr. Phillips Center is expected to create approximately 4,000 jobs and deliver an estimated local economic impact of $240 million through the first year of operations. Additionally, the Dr. Phillips Center is committed to enhancing arts education and will impact approximately 90,000-110,000 students each year upon opening its doors.
With the mission of being inclusive, the Dr. Phillips Center will embrace virtually every culture, interest and walk of life. The Dr. Phillips Center includes the 2,700±-seat Disney theater, 1,700±-seat multiform theater, 300±-seat community theater, banquet space and a plaza that can accommodate up to 3,000 people. The project’s construction will be staged, starting with the construction of the 2,700±-seat Disney theater and the 300±-seat community theater.
The Center Stage Presentations will continue being offered to the community throughout the project timeline.
