For decades, the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) has been one of Central Florida’s most powerful economic development assets. It has helped transform Orange County into one of the world’s premier destinations for meetings, conventions and trade shows, generating billions of dollars in economic impact while supporting hotels, restaurants, attractions, transportation providers, retailers and thousands of local businesses.
Today, Orange County has an opportunity to build on that success by moving forward with Phase 5B of the Convention Center Master Plan. The time to act is now.
Phase 5B is not a new proposal. It is the completion of a long-term vision unanimously approved by the Orange County Board of County Commissioners in 2016. Along with Phase 5A, it was designed to ensure that the OCCC remains among the world’s most competitive convention destinations.
The COVID-19 pandemic understandably delayed implementation. But those circumstances have changed. Tourism has rebounded, TDT revenues have reached record levels, convention attendance has recovered, and demand for meeting and exhibition space remains strong. If anything, the need for Phase 5B is greater today than when it was first approved.
Orange County has already invested approximately $17 million in planning and design, making Phase 5B shovel-ready. Continued delay means allowing years of planning and investment to sit idle while inflation and rising construction costs increase the price of the project. Every year we wait means paying more to build the same facility while postponing the economic benefits it was designed to create.
Moving forward is not simply a construction decision. It is a sound economic development and financial decision. Orlando’s competitors are investing aggressively in their convention infrastructure. Las Vegas, Nashville, Dallas, San Antonio, Atlanta and other major destinations continue expanding and modernizing their facilities. Meeting planners expect flexible, technologically advanced venues capable of hosting multiple major events simultaneously.
Orlando cannot afford to stand still while competing destinations invest in their futures.
The OCCC was never intended to operate simply as a profit center. Its value is measured by the economic activity it generates throughout Orange County. Every convention fills hotel rooms, supports restaurants and transportation companies, drives retail and attraction spending, and creates business for contractors, decorators, event companies and countless small businesses.
The International Drive Resort Area alone includes more than 120 hotels, hundreds of restaurants, world-class attractions, and more than 100,000 employees whose livelihoods depend on a healthy visitor economy.
When the Convention Center succeeds, our entire community succeeds.
Significant private-sector investment, including major hotel expansions, is also contingent upon completion of Phase 5B. Moving forward will provide businesses with the confidence to continue investing in Central Florida which increases property tax revenue.
Phase 5B is also an appropriate use of Tourist Development Tax revenue. The TDT is paid by visitors, not Orange County homeowners, and is intended to support tourism-related investments that attract visitors and strengthen the visitor economy.
Few investments better serve that purpose than expanding and modernizing the OCCC. Convention visitors generate hotel stays, restaurant spending, transportation activity, attraction visits, retail purchases, and other economic activity that benefits the entire region — and helps generate future TDT revenue that has supported our arts and community venues.
Phase 5B also complements Phase 5A. Together, the two projects complete the Master Plan approved in 2016 and create a more efficient, flexible, and competitive Convention Center capable of meeting the evolving needs of the global meetings industry.
Orange County has always prospered because its leaders were willing to invest in the future.
The vision has already been approved. Approximately $17 million has already been invested in planning and design. Tourism has recovered. Convention demand is strong. Private investment is waiting. Phase 5B is shovel-ready.
The question is no longer whether Orange County can afford to move forward.
The question is whether we can afford to stand still while our competitors continue investing in their future.
Completing Phase 5B will protect Orlando’s competitive position, support thousands of local businesses, create jobs, attract major conventions and generate long-term economic opportunity throughout Central Florida.
Now is the time to complete Phase 5B — not because Orange County can afford to build it, but because Orange County cannot afford not to.
Maria Triscari is the president and CEO of the International Drive Resort Area Chamber of Commerce.