With much anticipation, the new Amway Center downtown Orlando will open its doors tomorrow, October 1st, and all are invited to witness this historic occasion which has been more than three years in the making. It is from this beacon of pride, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer will deliver the Annual State of Downtown Address, following the ceremonial ribbon cutting and building dedication.
Designed to reflect the character of the community, meet the goals of the users and build on the legacy of sports and entertainment in Orlando, the 875,000 square foot facility is almost triple the size of the old Amway Arena. The building’s exterior features a modern blend of glass and metal materials, along with ever-changing graphics via a monumental wall along one façade. A 180-foot tall tower and spire serves as a beacon amid the downtown skyline.
Boosting a number of premium amenities accessible to every level of ticket buyer, these include:
- The Budweiser Baseline Bar
- Club Restaurant
- Nutrilite Magic Fan Experience
- Orlando on Demand Info. Garden
- STUFF’s Magic Castle presented by Club Wyndham
- Gentlemen Jack Terrace
- Sky Bar
- Multiple indoor-outdoor spaces which celebrate Florida’s climate.
On time and on budget at a cost of $380 million, the building features a sustainable, environmentally-friendly design, unmatched technology, featuring 1,100 digital monitors and the tallest, high-definition videoboard in an NBA venue.
Conscious of the uniqueness of Orlando, Populous, formerly HOK Sport, designed a building aimed at responding to its distinct urban setting while revealing the activities occurring within. Bounded by Church Street, Hughey Avenue, South Street and Division Avenue, the arena’s primary entrance faces north to Church Street, creating a natural extension of the nearby downtown entertainment core. The Church Street entry features a large public entry plaza connecting the arena’s spacious entry lobby.
To celebrate Central Florida’s moderate climate, the building is filled with a variety of indoor-outdoor spaces. For instance, once guests enter the voluminous, 80-foot-tall Disney Atrium main lobby, they are able to return to the outdoors via a spacious balcony, the Gentleman Jack Terrace, overlooking Church Street.
In a very tight job market, this major construction project served as a boon to the local construction business. In addition, of the 170-plus minority and women-owned firms which worked to construct the facility, 61 were African-American-owned firms, 51 women-owned firms, 36 Hispanic-owned firms, 20 Asian-American-owned firms and two Native-American-owned firms.
The Orlando Magic served as the developer of the new downtown Amway Center which will compete to host major national events, concerts and family shows. The facility is owned and operated by the City of Orlando on behalf of the Central Florida community.
At precisely 10:01 a.m. on October, 1st, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Orlando Magic President Alex Martins, Orlando City Commissioners and other Central Florida leaders will open the doors to the new Amway Center for the first time to the public.
On Saturday, Oct. 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer invites Central Florida residents to a Community Open House at the Amway Center. Residents will get a first-hand look at all of the fan amenities and state-of-the-art technology available only in Downtown Orlando’s new events center.
This is a free, ticketed event featuring self-guided tours, entertainment and local performances, free popcorn and soda and commemorative items to celebrate this historic accomplishment. Representatives from the Orlando Magic and Orlando Predators will also be on-hand.
Residents can experience a “taste of the Amway Center” with a sampling of the newest food offerings available for purchase.
The self-guided tour of the Amway Center will take patrons through the most technologically-advanced events center in the country, showcasing two levels of spacious concourses that include an impressive array of concessions; a stop along the way so the kids can climb STUFF’S Magic Castle, then up to the contemporary, open-air setting of Gentleman Jack’s Terrace, then up 100 feet to the Sky Bar spotlighting some of Downtown Orlando’s best views; and then back down to the lower bowl where you can see the largest arena score board in the country.
The Community Open House at the Amway Center will begin at 10:00 am through 4:00 pm.
Central Floridians and in particular, the people and the City of Orlando, have much of which they can be proud on this historic day.
