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Orlando City President Rawlins says stadium will break ground in spring

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Orlando City stadium rendering inside (Woods Bagot)

By MIKE GRAMAJO

ORLANDO, Fla. — With another announcement out of the way, several more are expected to come.

Orlando City SC President Phil Rawlins told reporters on Saturday afternoon, during the club’s kit unveiling, that ground breaking on their soccer-specific stadium will occur sometime within the next few months.

“We’re on track with the stadium, we’re exactly where we want to be,” said Rawlins. “We appointed our architects back in December. We expect to break ground in late spring, which will follow by a 15-month build.”

Populous (formerly HOK Sport), who designed Wembley Stadium and Emirates Stadium in London as well as plenty American baseball and Football arenas, are expected to design the soccer-specific stadium with a predicted summer 2015 completion date.

The Lions are expected to play the first half of the 2015 Major League Soccer season in a renovated Florida Citrus Bowl, which also went under major renovation earlier this week, before moving into their new home which is located a few blocks down the Amway Center, home of the NBA’s Orlando Magic.

Rawlins told reporters that a main reason why Populous got the rights to design the stadium was because of their track record by building a plethora of MLS soccer-specific stadiums, leaving it more to a “no-brainer” in the selection of architects.

Orlando City will complete their final season in the USL Pro at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, located in Walt Disney World, which will seat roughly 5,500 fans. The club’s preseason camp kicks off on Monday.

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What do you think of this development? Can’t wait for the historic ground breaking? Do you plan to attend Orlando City’s games in the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. “Orlando City will complete their final season in the USL Pro at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, located in Walt Disney World, which will seat roughly 5,500 fans.” ……………………………………………??????????????????????? I thought they were having these huge crowds for USL like 10thousand! Why would they move to small facility at Disney?

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  2. Any other skc fans feel like that looks familiar? Exact same renderings we saw sans executive suites on the west end. Populous-kc based company-is slacking

    Reply

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