Impact Update for Thursday, July 17 | | |
"While there have been some updates since we last spoke, the core project scope remains intact and includes increasing the overall capacity, rebuilding the upper bowl, creating a retractable stage pocket on the south end, improving vertical transportation, providing all-new amenities and elevating the back-of-house experience, among other areas."
-Allen Johnson
Orlando Venues
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Quote of the Day
"I am grateful for all my victories, but I am especially grateful for my losses, because they only made me work harder."
-Muhammad Ali
Boxing Legend
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Across the Board (Of Directors)
- Congratulations to Greater Orlando Sports Commission Board Member R.P. Rama on his recent appointment to serve on the Orange County Tourist Development Council.
- Congratulations to Board Member Kaleb Harrell on Hawkers getting an investment from Savory Fund – expanding on their cult-favorite concept.
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Congratulations to Board Member Sean Murphy, whose company 3N2 was featured on The Today Show for their partnership with the Cosmic Baseball League. See it HERE
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Congratulations to Seminole County Commissioner Lee Constantine on being honored with the Marlene Young Lifetime Achievement Award from the Florida Association of Counties.
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Around The Horn
- New architectural renderings related to proposed upgrades to Camping World Stadium were recently released by the City of Orlando. The designs, created by architectural firm DLR Group, show the rebuilding of the upper seating bowl on the east and west sides of the stadium. Components of the renovation also include all-new seating, adding hurricane bracing as an aesthetic and structural feature, new premium suites, updated building systems, and a retractable stage pocket in the south seating bowl.
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UCF Athletics announced that it has generated an all-time high in fundraising, with $52.8 million in cash and commitments for the fiscal year that ended on June 30, 2025. The record-setting total was amassed from contributions of more than 13,206 donors, 467 Shareholders Society donors and 579 Varsity Knights members, marking the fourth consecutive year UCF has surpassed $40 million in annual fundraising commitments for the Charge On Fund.
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The Orlando Magic have signed All-Star forward Paolo Banchero to a five-year contract extension. Originally selected with the first overall pick of the 2022 NBA Draft, Banchero has played and started in 198 career NBA regular season games, all with Orlando, averaging 22.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game. He also became one of only three players 22-or-younger in NBA history to compile 4,000+ points, 1,300+ rebounds and 900+ assists during his first three pro seasons, joining LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
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Orlando City SC has announced forward Marco Pašalić has been added to the 2025 MLS All-Star Roster. Pašalić will join teammate Alex Freeman as Orlando City’s two representatives at this year’s MLS All-Star Game at Q2 Stadium in Austin on Wednesday, July 23 at 9:00pm. With their inclusion on the roster, Freeman and Pašalić become the seventh and eighth All-Star selections in club history, respectively.
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The Orlando Pride has unveiled “Summer Break presented by Orlando Pride,” a series of community-wide events designed to engage fans, give back and celebrate the spirit of summer across Central Florida during the NWSL’s midseason pause. The festivities, which will run through the end of July, will build momentum toward the Club’s return to league action on Sunday, Aug. 3, when the Pride host the Utah Royals during Florida Night presented by Heineken at Inter&Co Stadium.
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The Orlando Squeeze won two out of four matches during the Major League Pickleball Mid-Season Tournament in Grand Rapids from July 9-13. The Squeeze (12-8, 34 points) are currently ranked 7th in MLP standings and will close out the regular season at the MLP Salt Lake City Tournament from Thursday, July 31 to Sunday, Aug. 3.
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GO Sports is proud to announce the 7th annual Celebrating Women in Sports Luncheon presented by Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute will be hosted at Addition Financial Arena on Wednesday, September 17, 2025. This year's featured speaker is 3x Olympic Beach Volleyball Gold Medalist, Misty May-Treanor!
In addition to Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute returning as the presenting sponsor, Florida Blue is returning as the sponsor of the featured speaker's fireside chat. Last year’s luncheon sold out with more than 725 guests in attendance.
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Around Town
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Brightline is looking to raise $400 million in funding to pay for an expansion of its high-speed rail service into Tampa. The private train service company is seeking their funding in the form of tax-exempt bonds from the Florida Development Finance Corporation, and the hearing is scheduled for today, July 17 to discuss the proposal. If approved, the funds could be used to design, develop and build the new route from Orlando to Tampa.
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Visit Orlando's Magical Dining, presented by Orlando Health, is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025 with a record-breaking 160 restaurants in the program which will run from Friday, Aug. 15 through Tuesday, Sept. 30. The extensive list includes 24 newcomers and 15 Michelin Guide-recognized options, each offering three-course prix fixe menus priced at $40 and $60. A portion of every meal sold will benefit the REED Charitable Foundation, a local nonprofit dedicated to early childhood development and literacy.
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Orlando has been ranked No. 2 in the nation for technology job gains nationwide, according to the Computing Technology Industry Association’s 2025 State of the Tech Workforce report. In 2024, Orlando added an additional 1,780 tech jobs, bringing the local number of tech jobs in 2024 to 77,689. The local tech industry brings in $14.9 billion to the region, which has 4,715 tech businesses, according to Orlando Business Journal.
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City of Orlando commissioners have approved two key steps tied to the proposed Pulse memorial, according to Orlando Business Journal. The commissioners voted to approve Winter Park-based Gomez Construction Co. as the top-ranked firm to build the memorial, and also approved the purchase of roughly one acre next to the former nightclub property for $1 million. A final contract will still go before the city council for the $12+ million project, and city leaders are targeting June 2026 for the start of construction.
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High Point Climbing and Fitness has officially opened its doors as rock climbers living in the flatlands of Florida now have a massive new venue to hone their skills. The 45,000-square-foot indoor climbing gym located in Orlando's Packing District features 52-foot walls, a bouldering area, a full-service gym, a yoga studio, party rooms and a dedicated children’s climbing area. The new facility is the largest climbing gym in Florida, and the sixth largest in the United States.
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Legoland Florida Resort has announced it is building its "most technologically advanced attraction" in park history. In a July 15 press release, the Winter Haven amusement park shared details about the new space-themed area set to open in early 2026. The new attraction is the first to be built in Legoland Florida since the park opened in 2011 and is described as an interactive space adventure, with the experience beginning in the queue of the ride and including homage to original Lego space-themed sets.
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The 2025 hurricane season is already underway, and forecasters are predicting an above-average number of storms. Now is the time for Orange County residents to prepare — and one of the simplest, most effective steps you can take is to sign up for OCAlert. OCAlert is Orange County’s official emergency notification system and part of the statewide Alert Florida network. Whether it is a fast-moving storm, unexpected road closure or neighborhood evacuation, OCAlert ensures you receive vital updates quickly and directly.
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All Around
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Universal Orlando has announced that Frequent Fear Passes and other multi-night tickets for Halloween Horror Nights are now available for purchase. The event's Fear passes are tiered, allowing different levels of access on multiple nights of the event, which runs for 48 nights between Friday, Aug. 29 and Sunday, Nov. 2 at Universal Studios theme park.
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Walt Disney World's new nighttime parade, "Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away," will debut at Magic Kingdom this Sunday, July 20. Parade times will be 9:00pm and 11:00pm and it will start on Main Street then travel back to Frontierland, a reversal of the usual course for Magic Kingdom parades. The parade will have the Blue Fairy as a through line and guiding light, and the final float will feature Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
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SeaWorld Orlando is offering discounts on theme park tickets, including annual passes and Fun Cards. The discounted price for one-day of SeaWorld admission varies with the date and ranges between $59.99 and $97.99 through the end of 2025. Annual passes, divided into four levels of benefits and the number of block-out dates, are selling for $153 and $345. Fun Cards, which allow visits (with block-out dates) through Dec. 31, are selling for $143.99.
- From world-famous restaurants and attractions to shopping venues and live shows, there is something for everyone at ICON Park. Whether you want to take a spin on The Orlando Eye or explore Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum, ICON Park offers a fun family experience for all ages. Visit their website to learn more and purchase your attraction tickets ahead of time.
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Boxlab Promotions is bringing Night of Champions XI to Caribe Royale this Friday, July 18, featuring a thrilling lineup of rising stars and top contenders. Headlining the night is undefeated heavyweight Gurgen Hovhannisyan (8-0, 7 KOs), who will look to continue his ascent in the division in a scheduled 10-round main event. Doors for the event will open at 5:00pm and the first fight will begin at 6:00pm, purchase your tickets now through Ticketmaster.
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Monster Jam returns to Orlando on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 2-3, at the Kia Center. Start your day of fun at the Monster Jam Pit Party and see the massive trucks up close, or grab a ticket for the Monster Jam Post-Event Driver Meet and Greet for an exclusive opportunity to meet and mingle with the drivers shortly after the event. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.
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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.
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Florida residents can save big while visiting Walt Disney World Resort theme parks. Click here to view the current list of special offers.
| | GO Sports President & CEO Jason Siegel and Chairman Caesar Lopez (Orlando City SC, Orlando Pride) attended the FIFA Women's World Cup Host City Candidate Gathering in Fayetteville, GA, pictured with Melissa Thompson (Indiana Sports Corp), Mathew Ratner (Greater Miami CVB) and Beth Knox (Seattle Sports Commission). | | GO Sports VP Lindsey McBride attended the ICAST Trade Show at the Orange County Convention Center, pictured with Michael Mulone (Major League Fishing). | | Corporate Partner Spotlight. | | |
GO Sports is proud to welcome our newest corporate partner, Addition Financial! For more information, click the logo above.
Thank you for supporting sports tourism in Greater Orlando!
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