ORLANDO, Fla. – Downtown Orlando was buzzing Friday night as fans flocked to the Kia Center to watch the Magic take on the Boston Celtics in the playoffs. But while the spotlight was on the game, major changes are also in the works for the area surrounding the arena.
Across from the Kia Center, construction fences now line the street, showcasing renderings of a massive redevelopment project that will dramatically reshape the downtown landscape. Many fans expressed excitement about the potential transformation.
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“Right now, it sits empty,” said one fan. “We need a venue like that right here in downtown Orlando to revive it again, and being right next to the stadium with our awesome Magic, it’s great.”
The $500 million project called “Westcourt” is set to include a 260-room hotel, 270 residential units, a conference center, a 3,500-seat live entertainment venue, and several restaurants.
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“It’s great for the downtown area,” another fan said. “It’s going to expand, it’s going to help bring in more money to the community and bring more people.”
Still, the walk to the game was a stark reminder of downtown’s recent struggles. Along Church Street, several once-popular businesses now sit empty. Some were closed for years, others more recently shuttered.
“It’s sad to see that,” one fan said. “Hopefully, bringing in these new additions will change that.”
“It used to be vibrant,” another fan said. “Now, it’s like a ghost town. There’s nowhere to eat, nothing to do, you just come straight to the game.”
Some fans voiced concerns about safety and homelessness in the area, particularly late at night.
“Crime, homelessness, it’s a little scary sometimes,” one fan said.
Further redevelopment is planned beneath I-4, directly across from the Kia Center. The city has approved a $25 million project called The Canopy, which aims to turn the gravel lot into a public green space.
“It’ll definitely spruce things up and make it look more lively,” one person said. “Right now, unless you like dirt and gravel, there’s not much to look at.”
The new park is expected to bring a fresh energy to an underused area, but some residents stressed the importance of long-term upkeep.
“It’ll be nice for the first little bit,” one said. “But I hope they keep up with it.”
The city of Orlando and developers hope the upcoming projects will breathe new life into downtown, making it a destination not just for sports fans, but for residents and visitors alike.
