Orlando Soccer Stadium: More Questions than Answers, For Now

Orlando City Soccer supporters, sporting purple-colored jerseys, packed into the Orange County Commission Chambers Tuesday, to hear President Phil Rawlins make the case for $20 million in Tourist Development Tax revenues from the County, for constructing a $85 million stadium to host Major League Soccer.

Rawlins, who carefully highlighted the proven marketplace of the Central Florida region, including its growing population and changing demographics said, County support represented the “last domino” if MLS is to become a reality in Orlando and more broadly Central Florida.

“We need a soccer specific stadium to bring MLS to this County,” he said. “If you decide not to support us in this partnership with the facility, we will not be able to bring MLS to this community. Playing at the Citrus Bowl is not an option as an MLS compliant stadium is required, he added.

Touting an independent study by CS&L consulting, Rawlins said, the results show that the economic impact to the community is estimated to be $1.3 billion over the next thirty years, from the downtown soccer stadium.

County Commissioners suggested that today’s presentation on the Orlando Soccer Stadium was the first time they had gotten figures and posed several questions.

Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs, noting that the $85 million stadium ‘current’ price tag had being pared down from $115 million, queried whether operations could continue “indefinitely” without $30 million and expressed her concern as to whether additional revenues would be sought in the future.

Rawlins said, a “quality facility” could be built with $85 million and that the additional funding was “not critical.”

Commissioner Ted Edwards (District 5) expressed his concern over the fact that the city of Orlando had provided land and infrastructure, yet Orlando City executives were seeking TDT revenues to build the stadium. “Why can’t you build the stadium?,” he asked incredulously.  Like Jacobs, Edwards also said he is concerned that there could be new requests for more money in the future.

Observing that in San Jose and Salt Lake City, soccer officials were moving ahead constructing new stadiums with price tags of $60 million each, Commissioner Pete Clarke (District 3) queried on how this was being done. Clarke also expressed reservations on the proposed location of the soccer stadium – 2 blocks from Amway Center on Church Street – and suggested locating the facility on International Drive would capture more of the population.

Commissioner Tiffany Moore Russell (District 6) shied away from posing a specific question regarding the soccer stadium, but questioned on the County’s capacity to support various projects, including upgrades to the Orange County Convention Center. Commissioner Fred Brummer (District 2), too, was interested in the status of the TDT revenues.

“A lot is happening and how are you fitting into the footprint of the Parramore community overall?,” queried Commissioner Scott Boyd (District 1).

The County Commissioners heard presentations not only from Orlando City Soccer, but also Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts which is seeking $25 million in new monies, Florida Citrus Bowl for $12 million and Visit Orlando to which at least $2 million annually will be directed for a branding initiative, over the next five years.

Several Orlando and Orange County residents again, expressed their opposition to using TDT revenues to finance the soccer stadium, despite their love of the game.  Among them were, President of the Inner City Neighborhood Association, Lawanna Gelzer, former Orange County Mayoral candidate Matt Falconer, former Orange County Democratic Party Chairman, Doug Head and Trini Quiroz.

“Using TDT monies to subsidize the private sector [for the Soccer Stadium] is unfair to other small businesses who are competing, and corrupts our political system,” Falconer admonished the Board. He suggested that the matter be put on the election ballot for Orange County citizens to decide.

Head informed that, County Watch, a watchdog group that advocates for transparency and responsible government, is “unanimously opposed” to using TDT funds for the soccer stadium. He handed over a letter to the Board to this effect.

Although today’s presentations were “informational,” Jacobs, perhaps sensing that many questions remained unanswered as regards utilizing TDT funds to finance the soccer stadium, pledged to share more information with all commissioners and hold another public hearing before a vote is taken.