Will Orlando Get a Major League Baseball Team?
The specter of Major League Baseball is looming large as Orange County considers how to spend its tourist development tax revenue.
Among the 24 entities applying for a piece of the funding is the Orlando Dreamers, whose mission is to bring Major League Baseball to Central Florida.
Photo: Major League Baseball
For those who don’t know, the tourist development tax is a 6% tax collected on hotel stays and short-term rentals in Orange County. State law stipulates that the revenue must be used to promote tourism.
Photo: Orange County Government
Orange County collects more than $76 million annually from the tourist development tax and allocates the funds every three years.
What the Dreamers Are Seeking
In 2023, Orange County did not select the Dreamers to receive any tourism funding.
Stadium concept. Photo: Orlando Dreamers
According to Click Orlando, this time around, they are asking for $975 million in tourist development tax revenue to build a new 45,000-seat stadium on International Drive.
The group says it has already acquired $2 billion in private funding but still needs $1 billion from the county to make the dream a reality.
Photo: Orlando Dreamers
If the stadium is built, the Dreamers say it will generate $32 million in annual tourist development tax revenue and support 52,000 jobs.
Photo: Orlando Dreamers
“I feel like the infrastructure in Orlando supports major sports, very large media market, 15th in the country right now without a major league or minor league team. A lot of different reasons why Orlando,” Barry Larkin, the Dreamers’ Major League Baseball ambassador, told ClickOrlando.
What’s Next?
The Orange County tourism task force will now review all 24 applications, including the Dreamers’ petition.
Photo: Orlando Dreamers
While Orange County considers every application, applicants must clear numerous hurdles before their projects can move forward.
As always, be sure to check back with MickeyBlog. We will continue to update you on all the news coming out of The Walt Disney Company.
Photo: MickeyBlog
