Camping World Stadium seeks $54M parking garage as part of sweeping renovation plans
Camping World Stadium seeks $54M for parking garage, air taxi landing pad
Florida Citrus Sports is seeking $54 million in Orange County tourism tax funding to build a four-level parking garage at Camping World Stadium that would include space for future electric air taxi operations.
ORLANDO, Fla - Florida Citrus Sports is seeking $54 million in Orange County tourism tax funding to build a four-level parking garage at Camping World Stadium that would add about 1,000 parking spaces and prepare the venue for the future of air travel with a rooftop landing pad for electric air taxis.
The proposed garage, which must be approved by the Orange County Tourist Development Tax Sports Incentive Committee and the Orange County Commission, is one piece of a broader transformation of the stadium as Orlando prepares to host larger sporting events, concerts and the Jacksonville Jaguars during the 2027 NFL season.
What they're saying:
Florida Citrus Sports CEO Steve Hogan said the garage is designed with future transportation in mind, including electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, or eVTOL.
Florida Citrus Sports is seeking $54 million in Orange County tourism tax funding to build a four-level parking garage at Camping World Stadium. [Credit: Florida Citrus Sports]
"You might as well connect if you can to the eVTOL future of our community," Hogan said. "The airport is going to have eVTOL capacity, and heli-pad capacity. Having the ability to bring folks into the campus is a nice finishing touch to some of the biggest events."
If approved, the garage is expected to open about 30 months after construction begins.
Camping World Stadium renovation project
Dig deeper:
Meanwhile, Camping World Stadium is undergoing a 650,000-square-foot renovation that will increase seating capacity to more than 65,000 while modernizing the nearly century-old venue with expanded concourses, improved accessibility and new fan amenities.
The project includes a new North End Zone Tower that will connect suite and terrace levels while adding escalators, premium seating and a north end zone club. A redesigned stage pocket will also allow larger concert productions and increase event capacity.
"We have a north tower now, so we're going to have a third deck on the north tower," Orlando Chief Venues Officer Allen Johnson said. "And then we have added a stage pocket, which allows us to push the stage back further for our concerts and increase our capacity for that."
The renovation also features a new climate-responsive exterior façade that complies with updated hurricane building codes while doubling as a programmable digital display for sporting events, concerts and civic celebrations.
"One of the things I tell people is more people see the outside of the stadium than the inside," Johnson said. "So why not make it special on the outside as the inside?"
Johnson said the façade will function "almost like a video board," allowing organizers to display event graphics and other content visible from outside the stadium.
Additional improvements include upgraded seating, wider concourses, improved entrances and gates, enhanced audiovisual and mechanical systems, new loading and operations areas, and improved vertical transportation to move fans more efficiently throughout the venue.
"Everything we're doing is geared toward creating a better fan experience and vertical transportation... better gates, better entrances, allowing us all to provide a safe and secure environment for our guests," Johnson said.
Officials expect the first phase of the renovation to be completed by May 2027, with the stadium ready to host Jaguars home games beginning in August 2027.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by Florida Citrus Sports.