Amway Center Project surpasses $79m in Minority Contracts

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, District 5 City Commissioner Daisy Lynum and the Orlando Magic announced today that contracts awarded to minority and women-owned businesses (MWBEs) for the Amway Center project have surpassed $79 million – marking a 35% participation from minority and women companies.  This level of involvement is the largest of any public project in the Florida’s history.

“This project is powerful, not just because it expands sports and entertainment options in our region – but because the BLUEPRINT is changing people’s lives for the better,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. “With more than $79 million in contracts for minority and women-owned companies we are keeping our commitment to Central Florida residents that this historic project will be as diverse and equitable as possible.”

The announcement coincides with the recent one-year anniversary of the groundbreaking for the new Amway Center near Downtown.  The seven-story Amway Center, which will serve as the new home for the 2008 Eastern Conference Champion Orlando Magic, is part of the $1.1 billion arts, sports and entertainment Community Venues project that includes the Dr. P. Phillips Orlando Performing Arts Center and renovations to the Citrus Bowl.

Under the City’s BLUEPRINT plan, 18 percent of all contracts must go to minority-owned firms and an additional six percent are earmarked for businesses owned by women.  To date, 28 percent of the Amway Center contracts have been awarded to minority firms and seven percent have gone to women-owned businesses.

“It isn’t just about the numbers.  When I am in a meeting and I look around the room and see all of the minority decision-makers working on this $1 billion project, I am so proud that these opportunities have been created because of the BLUEPRINT and the Community Venues project,” added District 5 City Commissioner Daisy Lynum.

Alex Martins, the Magic’s Chief Operating Officer, is also pleased with the announcement.  “These contracts have provided a tremendous boost for minority and women-owned companies and for individual workers as well,” said Martins.  “Some of these businesses are taking on the biggest projects of their existence to date; subsequently, they’re hiring local workers.  Along with reaching the incredible $79 million mark, it should also be recognized that these businesses hired more than 150 people through the BLUEPRINT Employment Office, and there will be more hiring in the months ahead.”

The City also announced that 152 people have been hired for construction-related Venues jobs through the City’s BLUEPRINT Employment Office, and another 818 people were hired for non-construction jobs.

City officials view the Venues project as an economic engine to provide jobs to members of the target population which is made up of Parramore residents, the homeless and ex-offenders. The BLUEPRINT Employment Office, located in Parramore, has placed 85 members of the target population in construction-related jobs and another 138 have been placed in non-Venues jobs since it opened last September.