ORLANDO, Fla. \u2013 A piece of Orlando history is now officially marked downtown.<\/p>\n
City leaders and Disney officials unveiled a plaque Thursday near Lake Eola at the spot where Walt and Roy Disney first publicly announced their plan for what would become Walt Disney World.<\/p>\n
The announcement happened in 1965 inside the former Cherry Plaza Hotel.<\/p>\n
At the time, Central Florida was buzzing with speculation about a mysterious buyer quietly purchasing thousands of acres of land in the region.<\/p>\n
Stephen Valentini with the Walt Disney Archives says that mystery was revealed during a press conference held at the hotel.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you find yourself back in November 1965, Central Florida was really the mystery capital of the southeast as folks wondered who was buying up 27,000 acres of land,\u201d Valentini said. \u201cThat mystery was revealed right here.\u201d<\/p>\n
That announcement introduced what Walt Disney called the \u201cFlorida Project,\u201d a plan that would eventually become Walt Disney World.<\/p>\n
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer says the announcement helped shape the future of the city.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was certainly the genesis of everything that\u2019s happened here in Orlando,\u201d Dyer said. \u201cIn a lot of ways, it was kind of the birth of what the city of Orlando was going to become.\u201d<\/p>\n
Today, Walt Disney World helps drive the economy not just in Orlando, but across Central Florida.<\/p>\n
The resort employs about 80,000 cast members, making it the largest single-site employer in the United States.<\/p>\n
Officials say Disney\u2019s presence has also helped support hundreds of thousands of additional tourism jobs throughout the region, alongside attractions like Universal Orlando, SeaWorld, Legoland, International Drive and countless hotels and resorts.<\/p>\n
In all, leaders say Disney\u2019s arrival helped transform the area from swamp land and orange groves into the theme park capital of the world.<\/p>\n
Valentini says the moment being honored today remains an important part of that story.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think Walt would be very proud of this moment, as would his brother Roy,\u201d Valentini said. \u201cTo see how it\u2019s continually evolving, that there continues to be expansion and growth and partnerships all throughout the community \u2014 that\u2019s the stuff to be proud of.\u201d<\/p>\n
The plaque unveiled Thursday will permanently mark the place where Walt Disney first publicly revealed his vision for what would become Walt Disney World.<\/p>\n
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