Downtown:This is the logical location for the arena. The Parramore area is currently being redesigned, adding office buildings, condos, retail shops, and restaurants.
Downtown MapPros:
- Easy access to everyone in the Metro Orlando area.
- Help revitalize the Downtown Orlando area, a project which has built several condos and retail areas.
- Would create and epicenter for entertainment and socialization
Cons:- Could hurt current residents with displacement
- Parking wouldn’t be ideal
- Orange County, which is fronting most of the money, would prefer for it not to be here.
I-Drive Area:This would be a good area to satisfy the hotel owners, which would have an increase on customer taxes to pay for the new venue.
I-Drive MapPros:- Could be a great area for a venue of this nature, they could create what could be the best venue in the NBA.
- Would let the arena be used for more for conventions giving more use and increase likelihood of events such as the Women’s Final Four and NCAA 1st and 2nd weekend games.
- Plenty of undeveloped land available.
Cons:
- Not central at all. Many traffic problems could lead to attendance problems for all events in the long run.
- Land is expensive. The county could use the laws of eminent domain to gain the land at a reasonable price, but this could upset the hotel owners.
- Traffic problems during peak tourist seasons and I-4 could cause problems
Maitland:This really doesn’t stand much of a chance, but it could happen. RDV currently houses a lot of his operations there.
Maitland MapPros:
- High population area, and current home to the RDV sports complex.
- Right off the Interstate
Cons:- Residential Opposition
- Not very much land some homes would be displaced.
- On the edge of North Orange County
Osceola County:
If Orange County falls through this is a possibility, but highly doubtful because of lack of funding.
Osceola MapPros:- Plenty of land available
- Area of tremendous growth
- Would be built close to the Gaylord Palms Hotel.
Cons:- Far away from population center
- No easy access to the area and would have to take many roads to get there.
- Osceola County would have to front the bill
Other Possibilities:
Ocoee/Winter Garden - even with the beltway it's a hard area to get to.
Eastern Orange County - See above, strong population base however.
Without a doubt Downtown is the ideal location. However hotel owners will have a strong say in where the arena would go if the tourist tax is approved. If you have any questions, comments, etc feel free to email me.
