They are totally renovating the stadium for $200M. It's going to be very nice. Some features:

* Replacement of the entire lower tier of seating
* Construction of new 25,000 sq ft club levels on each side, with 5,000 premium club seats
* Wider concourses, along with new concessions, restrooms, kitchens, and locker rooms
* A new video/scoreboard
* A new exterior facade
* Some technology upgrades
* Concourses on east side will be enclosed by a framework of glass and steel, with the exterior carrying a Florida motif
* A raised terrace on the north side; temporary stands can be added atop the terrace to increase the capacity from 56,000 to 65,000.

Much needed renovation for the Citrus Bowl. Orlando is going to have three top class stadiums very soon in the Citrus Bowl, BHNS, and the new Orlando City MLS stadium. Even though I wish nothing but the worst for the soccer club, that stadium in downtown Orlando is going to be gorgeous.

If they're spending $200M then they need Super Bowls and CFB Playoff Finals to justify the cost.

(07-28-2014 08:40 AM)MechaKnight Wrote:  If they're spending $200M then they need Super Bowls and CFB Playoff Finals to justify the cost.

City of Orlando has never had to "justify" the cost....which is the case in almost every "publicly financed" stadium project.

Its "funny money" (not your own) which allows a city/county to spend $200 Million on a stadium renovation WITHOUT a tenant and one that will never have a tenant.

Heck, they are losing their only temporary tenant (soccer team, that averaged only 4,000-5,000 fans per game in actual attendance) and building that team an $80 Million stadium just for them.

Citrus Bowl has been at that location for almost 80 years...and in 80 years, little to NONE private industry has ever been attracted to that area...and putting new lipstick on a pig won't help.

Now in regards to the post-Christmas date bowl...yes, those are important, wherever they are...but P5 schools have now taken away the selection process away from bowls and made it their own...which is why P5 schools are almost playing exclusively other P5 schools in the majority of future bowl games.

Any post-Christmas to Jan 1 Bowl Dates would obviously be preferred ...as most people are off that week, plus its much easier for travel AFTER Christmas for most.

It was really weird seeing it in pieces. They are banking on trying to make a run at the cfb playoff and a couple of other things. It is tourist dollars that can't be touched for anything else so at least there's that.


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(07-28-2014 09:14 AM)Knightbengal Wrote:  It was really weird seeing it in pieces. They are banking on trying to make a run at the cfb playoff and a couple of other things. It is tourist dollars that can't be touched for anything else so at least there's that.


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Due to an idiotic law.

There is absolutely no reason that tourist sales tax revenue should ONLY go towards building stupid things like new stadiums that host 10 events per year.

(07-28-2014 09:22 AM)The Knight Time Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 09:14 AM)Knightbengal Wrote:  It was really weird seeing it in pieces. They are banking on trying to make a run at the cfb playoff and a couple of other things. It is tourist dollars that can't be touched for anything else so at least there's that.


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Due to an idiotic law.

There is absolutely no reason that tourist sales tax revenue should ONLY go towards building stupid things like new stadiums that host 10 events per year.

It exists largely because of things like the lottery situation. We all know that money is going to education. Sike


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(07-28-2014 08:49 AM)KnightLight Wrote:  Now in regards to the post-Christmas date bowl...yes, those are important, wherever they are...but P5 schools have now taken away the selection process away from bowls and made it their own...which is why P5 schools are almost playing exclusively other P5 schools in the majority of future bowl games.

You really think that the reason all these bowls dumped us for P5 conferences is because the P5 twisted their arms rather than the bowls just on their own having a vastly greater preference for P5 schools?

Spoken like someone whose school wasn't in the Big East.

(07-28-2014 09:55 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 08:49 AM)KnightLight Wrote:  Now in regards to the post-Christmas date bowl...yes, those are important, wherever they are...but P5 schools have now taken away the selection process away from bowls and made it their own...which is why P5 schools are almost playing exclusively other P5 schools in the majority of future bowl games.

You really think that the reason all these bowls dumped us for P5 conferences is because the P5 twisted their arms rather than the bowls just on their own having a vastly greater preference for P5 schools?

Spoken like someone whose school wasn't in the Big East.

Being in the Big East really did wonders for USF.

(07-28-2014 10:09 AM)The Knight Time Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 09:55 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 08:49 AM)KnightLight Wrote:  Now in regards to the post-Christmas date bowl...yes, those are important, wherever they are...but P5 schools have now taken away the selection process away from bowls and made it their own...which is why P5 schools are almost playing exclusively other P5 schools in the majority of future bowl games.

You really think that the reason all these bowls dumped us for P5 conferences is because the P5 twisted their arms rather than the bowls just on their own having a vastly greater preference for P5 schools?

Spoken like someone whose school wasn't in the Big East.

Being in the Big East really did wonders for USF.

See that speck of a jetliner up in the sky? That's about how far above your head my point traveled.

dont we have the cure bowl which is played in the same stadium?

Here are the updated pics in real time.
http://turnerwzc.workzonecam.com/

The Citrus Bowl situation has me fuming. $200MM and no tenant. Then they will spend anothe $120MM for the soccer team to play down the street. With a little forethought and $320MM a new stadium could have been built at the site of the old Amway Arena which is on the SunRail route. This would have solved 2 future parking problems. The upper bowl could have been covered for soccer games the same way it's done in the arena for hockey games.

(07-28-2014 09:55 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 08:49 AM)KnightLight Wrote:  Now in regards to the post-Christmas date bowl...yes, those are important, wherever they are...but P5 schools have now taken away the selection process away from bowls and made it their own...which is why P5 schools are almost playing exclusively other P5 schools in the majority of future bowl games.

You really think that the reason all these bowls dumped us for P5 conferences is because the P5 twisted their arms rather than the bowls just on their own having a vastly greater preference for P5 schools?

Spoken like someone whose school wasn't in the Big East.

Not every school in the so called p5 is worth watching... I wouldn't watch many of them even if admission was free.

(07-28-2014 11:30 AM)BigHouston Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 09:55 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 08:49 AM)KnightLight Wrote:  Now in regards to the post-Christmas date bowl...yes, those are important, wherever they are...but P5 schools have now taken away the selection process away from bowls and made it their own...which is why P5 schools are almost playing exclusively other P5 schools in the majority of future bowl games.

You really think that the reason all these bowls dumped us for P5 conferences is because the P5 twisted their arms rather than the bowls just on their own having a vastly greater preference for P5 schools?

Spoken like someone whose school wasn't in the Big East.

Not every school in the so called p5 is worth watching... I wouldn't watch many of them even if admission was free.

True, but nevertheless, it is silly to suppose that a bowl like Russell Athletic wanted to sign with us rather than a P5.

(07-28-2014 11:18 AM)firmbizzle Wrote:  Here are the updated pics in real time.
http://turnerwzc.workzonecam.com/

The Citrus Bowl situation has me fuming. $200MM and no tenant. Then they will spend anothe $120MM for the soccer team to play down the street. With a little forethought and $320MM a new stadium could have been built at the site of the old Amway Arena which is on the SunRail route. This would have solved 2 future parking problems. The upper bowl could have been covered for soccer games the same way it's done in the arena for hockey games.

The whole situation is lunacy, especially in today's economy. Now I know UCF doesn't want to deal with the authority that controls the Citrus Bowl, but (though I agree with your POV) the worst case would be for the city to invest in UCF's stadium and put in tons of revenue generation seating, upgrade to all chair backs, improve the concourse etc. That would give UCF a huge lead in the race to the P5 and having a major P5 school in the city would be more important than a nicer Citrus Bowl stadium to host two bowls a year.

We have seen what a waste the Miami baseball stadium has been. My only thought is that this could be a play to lure an NFL franchise, they are reaming if they think that will work.

(07-28-2014 08:49 AM)KnightLight Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 08:40 AM)MechaKnight Wrote:  If they're spending $200M then they need Super Bowls and CFB Playoff Finals to justify the cost.

City of Orlando has never had to "justify" the cost....which is the case in almost every "publicly financed" stadium project.

Its "funny money" (not your own) which allows a city/county to spend $200 Million on a stadium renovation WITHOUT a tenant and one that will never have a tenant.

Heck, they are losing their only temporary tenant (soccer team, that averaged only 4,000-5,000 fans per game in actual attendance) and building that team an $80 Million stadium just for them.

Citrus Bowl has been at that location for almost 80 years...and in 80 years, little to NONE private industry has ever been attracted to that area...and putting new lipstick on a pig won't help.

Now in regards to the post-Christmas date bowl...yes, those are important, wherever they are...but P5 schools have now taken away the selection process away from bowls and made it their own...which is why P5 schools are almost playing exclusively other P5 schools in the majority of future bowl games.

Any post-Christmas to Jan 1 Bowl Dates would obviously be preferred ...as most people are off that week, plus its much easier for travel AFTER Christmas for most.

Well, I've got to agree with you here for once. It would seem that building a brand new stadium downtown as opposed to attempting to retrofit the Citrus Bowl would have made more sense from a tourist and revenue perspective. It would also give Orlando the hypothetical ability to land an NFL franchise like the Jags (although the Jags lease situation makes it untenable for them to move for the time being).

There are a lot of people that believe that the Capital One Bowl week experience is the best overall bowl experience (with the attractions and events) besides the Rose Bowl... until you actually have to go to the game itself.

How much did the city spend to help the Fiesta Bowl champs (and the city's largest producer of talented workers) build a stadium?

Yeah, I didn't think so.

(07-28-2014 11:18 AM)firmbizzle Wrote:  Here are the updated pics in real time.
http://turnerwzc.workzonecam.com/

The Citrus Bowl situation has me fuming. $200MM and no tenant. Then they will spend anothe $120MM for the soccer team to play down the street. With a little forethought and $320MM a new stadium could have been built at the site of the old Amway Arena which is on the SunRail route. This would have solved 2 future parking problems. The upper bowl could have been covered for soccer games the same way it's done in the arena for hockey games.

The only problem with that is we wouldn't have gotten an mls team. Building a soccer specific stadium was a prerequisite. We won't be getting an mlb or nfl team. We want to be a premier sporting destination and as such we wanted a pro team. My only gripe about the citrus bowl is it's location.


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(07-28-2014 11:30 AM)BigHouston Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 09:55 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 08:49 AM)KnightLight Wrote:  Now in regards to the post-Christmas date bowl...yes, those are important, wherever they are...but P5 schools have now taken away the selection process away from bowls and made it their own...which is why P5 schools are almost playing exclusively other P5 schools in the majority of future bowl games.

You really think that the reason all these bowls dumped us for P5 conferences is because the P5 twisted their arms rather than the bowls just on their own having a vastly greater preference for P5 schools?

Spoken like someone whose school wasn't in the Big East.

Not every school in the so called p5 is worth watching... I wouldn't watch many of them even if admission was free.

Great point...as UCF in most of their bowl games has drawn higher tv ratings than scores of P5 teams/bowl games.

(07-28-2014 01:58 PM)Knightbengal Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 11:18 AM)firmbizzle Wrote:  Here are the updated pics in real time.
http://turnerwzc.workzonecam.com/

The Citrus Bowl situation has me fuming. $200MM and no tenant. Then they will spend anothe $120MM for the soccer team to play down the street. With a little forethought and $320MM a new stadium could have been built at the site of the old Amway Arena which is on the SunRail route. This would have solved 2 future parking problems. The upper bowl could have been covered for soccer games the same way it's done in the arena for hockey games.

The only problem with that is we wouldn't have gotten an mls team. Building a soccer specific stadium was a prerequisite. We won't be getting an mlb or nfl team. We want to be a premier sporting destination and as such we wanted a pro team. My only gripe about the citrus bowl is it's location.


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Disagree.

The Uber rich Brazilian team owner could have easily built his own soccer stadium...but like most smart businessmen...he sought out to others who could do it for him.

Maybe the City could have been/bought the land...and the owner could have built it privately...and that could have been a win-win for both...but now, the city/county is stuck for most of the cost (buying 100% of the land...paying for most of the stadium).

Also, other MLS teams, like New England, have played in large football stadiums...and have from almost day one to present day.