ORLANDO, Fla. – Orange County commissioners will decide whether to spend $3 million in Tourist Development Tax dollars to bring the NFL Pro Bowl back to Orlando in 2025.
Florida Citrus Sports made the request at the county Tourist Development Council meeting Friday, and the council approved making the recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners.
“This really allows Florida Citrus Sports to start the process of negotiating with the NFL so the deal isn’t totally done but this is the first step in the process,” said Florida Citrus Sports CEO Steve Hogan, who heads the event management company that brings sports events to the area.
There have already been five NFL Pro Bowls in Orlando, including the one earlier this year.
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“We don’t have an NFL team here so to get to see 88 of the best on the planet from everybody’s team playing on your field, I think it’s a blessing for the kids in this community,” Hogan said.
The money would come from the revenue brought in from the Tourist Development Tax, a 6% tax on short-term rentals such as hotel rooms.
“Our tourist development tax brings in over $350 million on an annual basis,” said Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings.
The money is only allowed to be spent on projects that benefit the tourism industry. The money is currently used on tourism advertising and the Visit Orlando tourism agency, the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando’s Kia Center, Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center and Camping World Stadium, and various arts and cultural programs in the county.
Casandra Matej, the president and CEO of Visit Orlando, says last year’s numbers show that Orlando remains the number one tourist destination in the country. “We welcomed over 74 million visitors but the key takeaway on that is that our international travelers are up.”
If the commission approves the funding for the Pro Bowl bid, we will know shortly after July 4 if Orlando gets another Pro Bowl in 2025.
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