ORLANDO, Fla. — Thousands of people are expected to head to Camping World Stadium this weekend as Rolling Loud takes over Orlando, bringing large crowds, increased traffic, and packed streets to the area.
While some local businesses are preparing for a busy weekend, some residents living near the stadium say they are worried about parking, safety, and congestion in their neighborhoods. Restaurants near the stadium say major events like Rolling Loud can bring a major economic boost.
“We’re going to have additional staff and additional products. We’re just gearing up to make sure that we can take full advantage for all the guests that are going to be in town,” said Karl Brown, a manager at Oley’s Kitchen.
Brown said festivals and large events at Camping World Stadium often increase customer traffic and help local businesses.
“That’s going to be a huge benefit, because out of that 300, we’ll probably see a good 10% over the weekend flowing through. So that’ll definitely affect our bottom line. We’re excited,” Brown said.
But residents in the nearby Lake Sunset neighborhood say large events near the stadium can also create problems for the community. Rich Black, president of the Lake Sunset Neighborhood Association, said residents are especially concerned about parking and emergency access during the busy Mother’s Day weekend.
“They’re concerned about the parking. They’re concerned about people walking through their neighborhoods, walking through their yards… that’s the biggest issue. We’re trying to get security,” Black said.
Black said many seniors live in the neighborhood and worries increase when roads become crowded or blocked during major events. Resident Johnnie Mickle said she has experienced those issues firsthand.
“I’ve lived here since 1967, and I can say that the noise level is terrible. I have known the times that I tried to get back to my house, and I had to get off on John Young Parkway because the road was blocked and I had to walk to get to my home,” Mickle said.
Orlando Police Department said there will be an increased law enforcement presence around Camping World Stadium throughout the weekend. Chief Eric Smith said drivers should check social media for road closures, parking information, and traffic updates before heading to the event.
“The big thing I want to tell everybody is check our social media so you can see the best routes to take because traffic is going to be a problem. Traffic is going to be a problem. Of course, we’ll be trying to get everybody in and out at the end of the night. So that’s one of those kinds of things. If you sort of help yourself out, know where you want to be, see what roads are going to be closed, what time they’re going to be open… it just helps you to get around better,” Smith said.
Police also said the area around Camping World Stadium will operate under a special event zone during the festival, meaning parking and traffic violations could lead to higher fines and towing.