Orlando City stadium to host Cure Bowl in December

ORLANDO, Fla. (FOX 35 ORLANDO) - Orlando City Stadium will transform from a soccer field to a football field for the first time ever in December.

The Orlando Sports Foundation announced the Cure Bowl is changing venues. The postseason college football game has raised $3.86 million for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

For the first four years, the bowl game used to be played at Camping World Stadium.

CEO of the Orlando Sports Foundation and Executive Director of the Cure Bowl Alan Hooch said they have signed a four-year deal for the bowl to be held at the more intimate Orlando City Stadium.

"Our second game, Cure Bowl that we had with UCF and Arkansas State we sold it out in the stadium and that's what every event operator wants is the opportunity to have a sell-out even so this stadium makes sense for us."

Gooch said the optics and acoustics at the new venue will provide a unique football experience. Gooch said this is only the second bowl game to be held in a Major League Soccer stadium outside of one in Dallas.

On game day, there will be a free block party held in the historic Church Street entertainment district that will feature music, entertainment and activities.  The American Conference Band and the Sun Belt Conference will be part of the parade as well as survivors and supporters.

"We are very excited to welcome the Cure Bowl to Orlando City Stadium as the first non-soccer sporting event to be hosted in our beautiful venue," Orlando City SC Chief Revenue Officer Chris Gallagher said. "Through flagship events like the Cure Bowl, the Orlando Sports Foundation works tirelessly to raise funds for cancer research, and we are happy to do what we can to support such a meaningful initiative. We can't wait to see a new kind of football on our pitch this December."

Gooch said a team is already working on how to transform the stadium from a soccer field to a football field and the plan may include adding seating to compensate for a thinner football field.

The 2019 Cure Bowl will be held on December 21st.