ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Orange County Commissioners voted to spend more than $780 Million of the county’s Tourist Development Tax on Monday.
The commission made the decision as some elected officials, union officials, and members of the tourism industry urged commissioners to pause their decision to spend money collected from the 6% tax on hotel stays and short-term rentals of less than six months.
The list of projects approved included:
- $350 Million to expand the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
- $75 Million to Renew the Orange County Application Review Committee Grant Program
- $52.5 Million to build a parking garage at Camping World Stadium
- $50 Million to create the Orange County Natural Resource Tourism Infrastructure Grant Program
- $50 Million to create the Orange County Eco-Tourism Grant Program
- $46 Million to build a new track facility and expanding a soccer stadium for the University of Central Florida
- $30 Million to transform the Forest Lake Golf Club in Ocoee into an entertainment destination
- $25 Million to build the I AM Children’s Museum in Winter Garden
- $20 Million to establish the Eatonville Heritage Tourism District
- $12.5 Million for the Creative City’s Project Immerse Festival
- $3 Million to increase funding for the Orange County Arts and Culture Affairs program
The Orange County Convention Center didn’t get any money from commissioners in this round of allocations from commissioners. John Stine, who is listed as the chairman for the International Drive Resort Area Chamber of Commerce, said he felt like the money for the facility was badly needed as Orlando faces competition for other large events.
“Delays now jeopardize our ability to attract and maintain existing business, which is facing increasing competition from Vegas, Chicago, Anaheim and Dallas,” he said to commissioners during public comment.
Commissioner Mike Crabb (District 2) asked commissioners to add the convention center to the list of funded projects at the expense of the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts for similar reasons in a letter to commissioners.
“We have already delayed this project since its initial 2018 approval, which has cost the county over $100 Million due to construction inflation alone,” Crabb wrote. “Delaying further will cause us to lose the critical ground in an increasingly competitive convention market. Major hubs like Dallas, Houston, Miami, Las Vegas, Chicago, Atlanta, and Los Angeles are making massive investments in their facility.”
Yet the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts still received $350 to support its expansion project, just $50 million less than Mayor Jerry Demings’s recommendation to the board prior to the meeting. The commissioners voted to lower the amount to keep reserves above recommendations.
The money would help the downtown concert venue create 11 new venues, to 20 total. This includes a 750-seat theater, an 800-seat banquet and event space, a 4,000 capacity outdoor auditorium amphitheater, and 1,150 parking spaces. Downtown hotels said the project would help their businesses grow.
“It brings us group business from crew and entertainment,” said Geo Cuevas. “But also the individual who comes to Orlando to specifically to come see a show.”
“As there revenues grow, our revenues grow,” said Glenn Dickerson with the Aloft Hotel in Downtown Orlando. “We’re able to hire more employees.
A citizen task force approved most of these projects, but it didn’t approve the money to build stadiums at UCF. The move also comes as the election gets closer, meaning there is less money for new commissioners to give to their preferred projects. Some of those officials running for office criticized the decision to spend the money now, asking for a pause.
Ella Wood, who was on the task force and also serves as the political director for Unite Here Local 737, said the decision also gives commissioners less flexibility to spend these dollars on other priorities not related to the tourism industry if a new state government lessens restrictions on local communities.
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