The central Florida city, known as the home of top theme parks like Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort, has ambitious plans to throw its hat in the ring to host trials for the Los Angeles 2028 Games.

Orlando is also aiming to be a host city for the men's and women's Rugby World Cups in 2031 and 2033 [and FIFA Women's World Cup], Jason Siegel, CEO of the Greater Orlando Sports Commission, told Reuters in an interview at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday.

Around The Horn.

• As the United States prepares to host two Olympic Games plus soccer and rugby World Cups over the next decade, GO Sports President & CEO Jason Siegel interviewed with Reuters at the Paris Olympics earlier this week to discuss bringing more international sporting events to the region. Click here to read Reuters story, and click here for NBC Olympics article.
• GO Sports President and CEO Jason Siegel was interviewed by Games Bids at the Paris Olympics earlier this week to discuss major hosting opportunities for the Orlando region. By working with 45 available venues across the region, Orlando has the ability and the capacity to organize and host multiple events at one time. Click here to read the full interview.
• GO Sports President & CEO Jason Siegel interviewed with 'Inside The Games' while in Paris for the 2024 Olympics earlier this week to speak about Orlando's desire and capacity to host trials for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Click here to read the full article.
• The NFL Pro Bowl Games is returning to Orlando in 2025! The multi-day AFC vs. NFC event will feature 88 of the NFL's top players as they show off their on-field and off-field skills in unique competitions and compete in action-packed flag football at Camping World Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025.
• Four Orlando Pride players will compete for a gold medal at the Paris Olympics this weekend as Brazil is set to face the United States on Saturday at 11:00am EST. Marta, Rafaelle, Adriana and Angelina were selected for Brazil's national team, and Marta will be making her sixth and final Olympic appearance.
• Clermont, a small city near Orlando, calls itself the "choice of champions" for the world-class athletes who have lived or trained there. Most recently, that includes 100m gold-medal winner Noah Lyles and silver-medal sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson, who have become huge stars both on and off the track. Lyles trains with Pure Athletics out of the National Training Center in Clermont, while Richardson is part of the Star Athletics Club.
• Orlando native and current Valencia College student Omari Jones won a bronze medal for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics! Jones, at just 21 years old, competed in the 71kg welterweight division and was the only member of the US boxing team to earn a medal. Congratulations to Omari on his astounding achievements representing our local community and our country.
• Orlando City SC has advanced to the knockout stages of the Leagues Cup after a 1-1 home draw against Atletico San Luis last Sunday night. With the draw, the Lions secured the top spot in their group and will now face Cruz Azul at Inter&Co Stadium tomorrow night at 7:00pm.
• After a historic start to the NWSL season, the Orlando Pride reached a contract extension with head coach Seb Hines keeping him with the club through the 2026 season with an option for 2027. Hines has a 21-11-6 regular-season record since becoming the full-time head coach last season and currently has the Pride (11-0-5) undefeated and sitting atop the NWSL table.
• The Orlando Solar Bears, in conjunction with the ECHL, have announced its home opening game of the 2024-25 season against the Savannah Ghost Pirates, ECHL affiliate of the Florida Panthers, on Saturday, October 26 at 7:00pm at the AdventHealth Rink in the Kia Center.

GO Sports is proud to announce five award winners that will be honored during the 2024 Celebrating Women in Sports Luncheon presented by Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute. Congratulations to Tiffany, Angela, Joanne, Grace and Pennie!

If you haven't purchased your table for 2024, reach out to Michael or Chase on our team today and join us to celebrate this year's class of award winners (announced at a later date) and hear from our 2024 featured speaker, Hall of Fame broadcaster and lead NBA Analyst for ESPN and ABC, Doris Burke. For more information, visit https://greaterorlandosports.com/celebrating-women-in-sports/

Michael Kalinich - michael@greaterorlandosports.com

Chase DeMayo - cdemayo@greaterorlandosports.com

The 2024 NCAA Division II National Championships Festival hosted in Orlando earlier this year has been nominated by the readers of SportsTravel as a finalist for Best Collegiate Sports Event in the 2024 SportsTravel Awards! Voting is open through August 19, 2024, click here to vote now!

In The News.

• WestCourt, the 900,000 square foot mixed-use development that will rise next to downtown Orlando's Kia Center, has another big-name draw. The project's development team revealed its partnership with Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants earlier this week. The 261-room, 11-story luxury boutique hotel will take the first 11 floors of the WestCourt tower, and above it will be 16 stories of residential units, with residents of the building enjoying access to Kimpton's amenities.
• The Florida Institute of Technology, commonly known as Florida Tech, has received a $1 million grant from the Emil Buehler Perpetual Trust. The private college has been growing its number of aviation students over the years, and the grant will allow them to purchase new flight simulators to help meet the demand for new pilots.
• Orlando Health has made a $910 million investment in five out-of-state hospitals as the Orlando-based health system continues to expand its practice. Orlando Health will acquire a majority interest in five Birmingham, Alabama hospitals from Tenet Healthcare Corporation. The deal is expected to close this fall and will allow Orlando Health to enter the state for the first time.
• A new padel facility is proposed near downtown Orlando and will be brought in front of the city's municipal planning board on September 17. Orlando Padel Experience would include eight outdoor courts for the sport and use an existing 3,455-square-foot building for locker rooms, a restaurant with beer and wine, and a store. The facility would seek to host 15-20 tournaments per year.
• The southwest Orange County community Horizon West was recently listed in StorageCafe's ranking of the 20 fastest-growing housing markets in the US. Featured on the list at No. 7, the report's main findings were based on housing inventory expansion over the past 10 years, with Horizon West boasting a 243% increase during the studied period.
• ThreatLocker, Inc. continues to hire employees at a rapid pace as they look for new office spaces to accommodate its growing population. The cyber-security firm is currently based in Maitland and hiring 40-50 people per month, with no plans to slow down. CEO Danny Jenkins stated the company will look to hire nearly 1,200 new employees over the next two years in a range of positions.

A stellar mix of athletes, coaches and support team members has been tapped for induction into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame as part of the 2024 class. The eight-member class represents six different sports and includes a seven-time NBA All-Star, a Super Bowl winner, women’s World Cup champion, a 14-time NCAA Track & Field Championship Coach, a World Golf Hall of Fame member, a four-time national champion cheerleading coach and the first-ever athletic trainer. The eight will be inducted in a star-studded ceremony to be held at the Kia Center in Orlando on October 16.

Stay Engaged.

• Universal Orlando has released its entire haunted house lineup for the 2024 edition of Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios theme park. The annual event will feature 10 themed-houses and five scare zones, beginning on August 30 this year and continuing on 48 select nights through November 3.
• Disney Cruise Line has revealed more details regarding the new ship 'Disney Destiny' coming to Florida in 2025. The 144,000-gross-ton, 4,000 passenger vessel will begin sailing its maiden voyage in November of next year from Port Everglades. Full itineraries have yet to be released, but all sailings will visit one or both of Disney's private Bahamas islands, Castaway Cay, or the newly opened Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.
• SeaWorld Orlando's newest attraction Penguin Trek opened last month and allows guests to enjoy a family-friendly rollercoaster while beating the summer heat. The ride is located within the park's new Antarctica Realm, and has views of SeaWorld's penguin colony from the boarding area. The new area also has a beer bar called South Pole Sips, and the nearby Expedition Cafe has reopened with a new menu.
• Join CityArts and the Downtown Arts District on Saturday, August 17 for its 'Art After Dark' fundraiser event from 7:00pm - 10:00pm! Guests can enjoy interactive art experiences, meet & greet opportunities with special guest artists, live music, a raffle, whiskey and beer tastings, and gourmet lite bites from local restaurants.
• The National Ballet of Ukraine will return to Orlando as part of its first major US tour since gaining independence from the Soviet Union more than 30 years ago. The ballet company last danced in Orlando back in 2022 in front of a sold-out crowd in Steinmetz Hall at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.
• The Merlin Entertainments Group is introducing a new bundled pass for three International Drive attractions: Madame Tussauds Orlando, Sea Life Orlando Aquarium, and the Orlando Eye observation wheel at Icon Park. The ticket, which is named the Merlin Orlando Annual Pass, also includes a year's worth of access to the Carousel on the Promenade at Icon Park. The cost of the pass is $149.99 and can be purchased online.
• Florida residents can save up to $65 on select multi-day tickets at Universal Orlando theme parks when buying online. Click here for current offers.
• Florida residents can save big while visiting Walt Disney World Resort theme parks. Click here to view the current list of special offers.

In The Community.

GO Sports President & CEO Jason Siegel and Director Jordan Lyda attended the FYSA Opening Ceremony dinner earlier this week, pictured with board member Jordan Clark (UCF Athletics), Chris Waugh (FYSA) and Christine Lilly (2x women's World Cup champion, Olympic gold medalist).

GO Sports Chair Elect Caesar Lopez attended the Manchester City vs. FC Barcelona friendly match at Camping World Stadium last week, pictured with Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola.

GO Sports President & CEO Jason Siegel was interviewed by Stewart Moore and Michelle Imperato at the WESH 2 News Olympic Zone recorded live at Universal Studios Orlando.

GO Sports hosted board members and corporate partners at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers training camp last week, pictured is Scott Lloyd (Lloyd Commercial Advisors), Casandra Matej (Visit Orlando) and board member Rob Allen (Austin Commercial).

The GO Sports team hosted board members and corporate partners at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers training camp last week. Thank you to board member Dave Leutwyler for the hospitality!

GO Sports Director Jordan Lyda attended the FYSA Opening Ceremony dinner at the JW Marriot Grande Lakes, pictured with Nick Santos (Orlando City/Orlando Pride).

Corporate Partner Spotlight.

GO Sports is proud to welcome our newest corporate partner, Holiday Inn Resort Orlando Lake Buena Vista! For more information, click the logo above.

Thank you for supporting sports tourism in Greater Orlando!

Fun & Games.

• What's Happening: Central Florida and Orlando Events
• What's Happening: Theater and Arts
• What's Happening: Restaurants, Food and Drink
• What's Happening: 2024 Paris Olympics