“As our community prepares to welcome the US Olympic Team Trials - Marathon to Orlando for the first time in the state of Florida’s history next week, another historic moment took place in our community this week. Thank you to Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and Commissioners Bonilla, Cordero, Moore, Scott, Uribe and Wilson for your thoughtful collaboration as we all collectively work to move our community forward for the benefit of our residents by reinvesting in Visit Orlando and City of Orlando's Camping World Stadium and Kia Center, in addition to providing needed funding sources for sports event incentives and our organization.”

- Jason Siegel, President & CEO

Greater Orlando Sports Commission

Around The Horn.

• Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings proposed a new spending plan for tourist tax revenue that was approved by Orange County commissioners with a 6-1 vote on Tuesday. The tourism revenue stems from a 6% surcharge that is applied to all hotel rooms and short-term rentals within Orange County. The plan pledges $400 million towards upgrades at Camping World Stadium which includes rebuilding the upper deck terrace and adding a 100,000-square-foot fieldhouse to the stadium's campus. Along with Camping World, the Kia Center was approved to receive $226 million to update and improve their facility.
• Clube de Regatas do Flamengo will host an open training session at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday, Jan. 25. The event precedes an FC Series friendly between Flamengo and Orlando City SC at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando on Saturday, Jan. 27 at 2 p.m. Tickets to the Thursday open training start at $24.50 and are available now at FCSeries.com, where limited tickets also remain for the Jan. 27 match.
• Florida resident Laramy Strickland won the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League tournament this past weekend by a slight margin of 1 ounce. Strickland finished the competition by catching a five-bass limit weighing in at 20 pounds, one ounce to kick off the first event of the season for the BFL Gator Division.
• Former Orlando Magic coach Doc Rivers is finalizing a deal to return to coaching as the head of the Milwaukee Bucks. Milwaukee, sitting at 31-13 and the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, fired their head coach Adrian Griffin two days ago and announced the signing of Rivers the following day. Rivers brings nearly a quarter-century of head coaching experience and has coached multiple NBA superstars throughout his career.
• The Orlando Solar Bears are hosting their White-Out game this Saturday at 7pm as they host the visiting Atlanta Gladiators at the AdventHealth Rink in the Kia Center. Presented by Just Call Moe Injury and Accident Attorneys, the Solar Bears will be wearing special white out uniforms featuring white helmets, jerseys, gloves, pants, and socks for the first time in team history. To purchase your tickets for the game, click here.
• UCF Men's basketball rolled over West Virginia on Tuesday night to mark their 3rd Big-12 win this season and in program history. UCF's Jaylin Sellers led the team with 18 points, and Ibrahima Diallo finished with a double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds to go along with 3 blocks. The Knights got out ahead early and maintained their lead throughout the game, finishing the first half with a score of 37-24 and a final score of 72-59. The men will now head to Cincinatti for their next matchup this coming Saturday, Jan. 27.
• The Orlando Magic announced they will retire Shaquille O'Neal's #32 jersey this year in celebration of the all-time center's athletic achievements with the team and in the NBA. O'Neal will become the first player in franchise history to have his jersey retired, and the ceremony will take place on Feb. 13 following the Magic's home game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Magic will also be celebrating their 35th anniversary as a franchise and honoring many of their corporate partners who have supported them throughout the years.
• The Orlando Valkyries women's volleyball team kick off their inaugural season tomorrow night at 7pm against the visiting Atlanta Vibe. The match will be taking place at Addition Financial Arena at UCF and marks the first time in Orlando history professional volleyball will come to the Central Florida region. Click here if you would like to purchase your tickets in advance.
• Former UCF football running backs coach Tim Harris has been welcomed back to Central Florida as their new offensive coordinator. After spending last season as the running backs coach for the Miami Hurricanes, Harris is returning to the staff of UCF Head Coach Gus Malzahn after just one season since his departure.
• UCF football gained a likely candidate for starting quarterback this upcoming season as former Arkansas QB K.J. Jefferson announced he will be transferring and playing for the Knights. Jefferson is a dual-threat player who is coming off a good season after throwing for 2,107 yards and rushing for an additional 447 yards.
• The second round of the NFL playoffs has come to a close with the AFC and NFC Championship matchups now finalized for this weekend. The Baltimore Ravens will host the Patrick Mahomes-led Kansas City Chiefs, while Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions will take a road trip to San Francisco to face the 49ers.

Be a part of the magic of Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend presented by CORKCICLE.^®! As a volunteer, you’d be supporting the runDisney® athletes and the presence of Starlight™ Children’s Foundation at Walt Disney World® Resort.

To register click HERE. 

In The News.

• Atlantic Aviation will soon expand the amount of space available to businesses and pilots at Orlando Executive Airport. The airport fixed-base operations company is close to finishing 50,000 square feet of hangar space, which will debut in February and adds on to the 105,000 square feet of space it has for tenants at the site.
• Full Sail University is proud to announce their 14th annual Hall of Fame induction class which is comprised of 6 graduates recognized for outstanding contributions to the realm of entertainment media and emerging technologies. The Hall of Fame event is a week-long endeavor that features many different expos, lectures, networking events, and live musical performances. The induction will occur on May 19-24, and several events will be available to the public via live streaming.
• Utah-based airline Breeze Airways has announced they will be building their new operations base at the Orlando International Airport (MCO). Breeze, who already have 7 bases across the country, plan to launch their new operation on April 1st. The new flights that Breeze plans to add will be from Orlando to Greenville, South Carolina, and Orlando to Mobile, Alabama; fares will start as low as $39.
• Central Florida’s up-and-coming startups were busy in 2023, bringing in masses of new users, hitting revenue goals and developing new products. This week, Orlando Inno recognizes the 2024 Startups to Watch, 11 early stage Central Florida companies to keep on the radar. These businesses were picked because they’re expected to debut new innovations, scale their businesses and do more throughout this year. 
• Popular Disney Springs restaurant Morimoto Asia hosted a Ramen Rumble competition for the 6th time last week and featured many local restaurants around Orlando and its surrounding areas. Ramen Tagaki, located in Oviedo, won the contest this year with their signature ramen dish titled Gyuton Ramen. All proceeds from the rumble benefit the Orlando-based nonprofit Give Kids the World, and they raised a record-breaking $13,000 this year to contribute.
• A “Shark Tank”-style event is headed to the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday, February 1 from 7:30 a.m.-9 a.m. The Storytelling Showcase is an annual event that’s hosted by the Victory Cup Initiative, a Winter Park-based organization led by Ashley Vann that promotes the work of nonprofits in Central Florida.
• Two Orlando chefs and one area restaurant are among Florida's semifinalists for a 2024 James Beard Foundation Award. Chefs Jennifer Berdin and Mark Berdin at Michelin-ranked sushi restaurant Kadence and Chef Henry Moso of Kabooki Sushi are semifinalists for the Beard Foundation's Best Chef in the South award.

Stay Engaged.

• A new beachfront luxury hotel near the Disney area named Conrad Orlando has finally opened after they had their inaugural ribbon cutting ceremony on Jan. 18. The massive new hotel boasts a man-made lagoon in the center of the property, stretching a total of 8 acres and coupled with 20 acres of beaches to surround it. Additionally, they have 433 rooms to offer and 5 on-site restaurants for guests to relax and enjoy the Conrad luxury experience.
• Opera Orlando is presenting "Frida," which is a testament to the life of Frida Kahlo and her formidable talent. There will be two showing of the opera, one on Jan. 26 at 7:30pm and another on Jan. 28 at 2pm. It is a total of 2 hours and 20 minutes long, including an intermission, and will be performed at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are currently priced at $29 and up, and you can purchase yours by clicking here.
• Keep Orlando Beautiful’s annual fundraiser and fashion show, Trash 2 Trends, is set to return on Wednesday, April 17, at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. The event features a runway of unique, up-cycled designs made from recycled and discarded materials, created by local artists and makers.
• SeaWorld Orlando is preparing to celebrate the 5th birthday of its Sesame Street Land which will include the opportunity to meet many of the characters. The festivities will begin this Saturday and continue on every Saturday until its conclusion on April 28. Some activities will include a new Sesame Street Birthday parade, story time with Big Bird, and themed arts and crafts.
• Florida kids aged 5 and younger can visit Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex for all of 2024 for free through the attraction’s Junior Space Explorer Pass. The attraction also features Space Shuttle Atlantis, astronaut training simulators, bus tours, outer space relics, Rocket Garden, IMAX films, Gateway: The Deep Space Launch Complex attraction and more.
• SeaWorld Orlando is again offering their Fun Card pass for unlimited entry into their park until December 31, 2024, for $134.99. SeaWorld also has additional options that include entry into the Aquatica waterpark, and a silver or gold pass that comes with free parking, two free guest tickets, and no blackout dates.
• 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 attended the CFHLA State of Hospitality Breakfast this week, pictured with Commissioner Robert Stuart and board member Jesse Martinez (The Alfond Inn).

GO Sports President & CEO Jason Siegel attended The State of Hospitality & Tourism Summit this week at the DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando, SeaWorld.

Congratulations to Seminole State College freshman golfer Tsubasa Kajitani, who will be traveling back to Augusta, GA to participate in their women's event. Kajitani won the competition back in 2021.

GO Sports President and CEO Jason Siegel attended this week's Orange County Board of County Commissioners meeting, pictured with board member Justin Kinsey (West Lakes District) and Derek Lewis (former President, Multicultural at PepsiCo).

Corporate Partner Spotlight.

For more information, visit MasseyServices.com.

Thank you for supporting sports tourism in Greater Orlando!

Fun & Games.

• What’s New for Florida Cruises in 2024
• New Kennedy Space Center "Under the Stars" After-Hours Event
• Disney Theme Park Wintertime 2-day Ticket Deal for Florida Residents