$54M in TDT funds requested for new Camping World Stadium parking garage
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Parking at Camping World Stadium during major events has been a persistent issue, but a proposed multimillion-dollar parking garage with a rooftop sports field could help alleviate the problem.
Florida Citrus Sports CEO Steve Hogan presented the plan to the Orange County Tourist Development Tax (TDT) Citizen Advisory Task Force on Wednesday, seeking $54 million in TDT dollars toward the $56 million stadium campus extension. The proposed multi-purpose facility would include a parking garage, a rooftop sports field capable of hosting events, and a helipad.
Supporters of the project say it would improve safety and accessibility, support year-round activity, and reduce the burden on surrounding neighborhoods. Hogan points to the need for additional parking, comparing Camping World Stadium’s current 3,800-plus parking spaces to the 15,000 to 20,000 spaces available at competing venues in the Southeast with 65,000-plus seats.
“3,800-plus spaces is not enough,” Hogan said. “You could do eight of these garages obviously, and we can get a little bit closer, but to do none, I think, would be a huge mistake at this point. (…) As you can see, it’s a 422-foot garage, four stories so as not to overwhelm the overall footprint of the campus, but giving us significant capability now to not only do pre- and post-events and event activity on stadium off-days with the event center, but provide a much-needed boost to our parking capacity.”
Hogan says the project could be shovel-ready within 15 months of approval and open to the public in 30 months.