Visions and Venues

"History will look back on this day in the same light as the day that Walt Disney announced he was building his theme park in Orlando."

So said Alex Martins, the COO of the Orlando Magic, after Thursday night's gut-wrenching 5-2 affirmative vote by the Orange County Commission. The plan, as we all know by now, is to tap into the county's Tourism Development Tax, or TDT, to help fund a new downtown arena, a performing arts center, and a refurbishment of the aging Citrus Bowl. Total value of all three projects will escalate well north of $1 billion dollars, with a sizable chunk of that money coming from the hundreds of thousands of tourists who pass through central Florida each year.

So far, so good. And "far" is the right word. Interested parties (like me) have been watching this process play out for the better part of three years now. Thursday night finally provided a tipping point. Mercifully.

The Orlando Sentinel has the complete play-by-play, and I'd recommend reading all the "Related Links" to get the full story. Personally, I spent Thursday afternoon preparing for the "Chevy Florida Fishing Report" in my office while trying to watch the Commission proceedings online at the county's website, an exercise in expletive-laden futility thanks to our painfully slow Internet connection at the studio. Late Thursday night, I logged on at home (with a cable modem) just in time to hear whooping and hollering and see the commissioners stand up and begin congratulating each other. Within five minutes, the official press release was pinging my in-box from the Magic.

(By the way, anyone else catch the headline on that release? "Orlando Local Government Green Lights New Events Center." Not "approves," but "green-lights." As in "green," as in "a green building," one of the concessions the Magic made at the 11th hour in order to secure one of the commission's swing votes. The new events center will be "certified green," falling in line with an innovative set of environmental restrictions, a first in arena construction in this country. Point being, there was a reason the Magic used the phrase "green light." Clever, and very much on purpose. As I've explained previously, nothing is accidental.)

As big as Disney? Yeah, probably. Truthfully, as a sports guy and central Florida native, it's almost too much for me to digest. My hometown is finally lurching into the 21st century. Visions of NBA All-Star Games, NCAA Tournament rounds, ACC Championship Games, even Final Fours, BCS bowl games, and a Pro Bowl are dancing in my head.

(Yeah, I wrote "Pro Bowl." If Orlando had a football stadium that was at least as well-appointed as Jacksonville's or Tampa's, this town could make a serious run at the NFL's annual all-star game. At the very worst, the league would take the call. Great airport, a zillion hotel rooms, perfect weather in February, a football-crazed populace in an NFL-neutral site. Which flight would you rather hop from the East Coast -- the 9-hour slog to Hawaii, or the 2-and-a-half hour jaunt to Orlando? David Stern has all but guaranteed Orlando an NBA All-Star Game once a new arena is built. You don't think the NFL would consider the same thing at a refurbished Citrus Bowl? Remember where you heard it first.)

The next few days will be euphoric for all interested parties, and that's as it should be. This was three years of blood, sweat, tears, and lots of coffee. Congratulations, in no particular order:

...to the political leadership of Orlando and Orange County, including mayors Dyer and Crotty, for putting their careers on the line by insisting that the locals deserved something better.

...to those members of the tourism lobby, including the heavyweights at Disney, Universal, Sea World, and the like, who had the long-range vision to see that supporting this effort would engender priceless goodwill among locals -- a smart business decision when you consider the cyclical nature of the tourism industry. We'll remember that. We'll also remember who opposed it. Trust me.

...to the supporters of the proposed Performing Arts Center, who have displayed a stunning level of philanthropy. Already, the PAC has secured $80 million dollars in private donations, proving that local residents really do care about things like "quality of life."

...to all of those who criticized or questioned the plan, including Sentinel writers Scott Maxwell and Mike Thomas. No, really, I'm serious. Their knack for picking apart the pro-venues argument, and in particular, their willingness to hammer the Magic for a larger contribution, most certainly affected the final plan. Doing so in the face of such a powerful and unified front was not only brave, it was journalistically responsible, and it was fair. I may not agree with some of what Scott writes -- and I agree with very little of what Mike writes -- but I'm not afraid to advance the debate.

...and to the Magic, who managed this process beautifully. Unlike previous arena discussions, where, as one Magic executive put it, they "led with their chin," the team lined up as many ducks as possible before anything went public. One could argue, in fact, that by the time Orlando mayor Buddy Dyer and Orange County mayor Rich Crotty appeared together to formally announce this plan back in September of last year, the skids had been pretty well greased via private negotiations and assurances. The Magic did their homework, worked the room, and stayed on message. They remained quiet, but determined. Their last-minute concessions, which included the "green" plan and a multi-million dollar commitment to build five new rec centers in the county, proved that they were serious. Lambaste the Magic and their ownership all you want -- and many of you do -- but this is hardly a risk-free proposition for them, either. They stepped up and committed to Orlando, and that's worthy of respect.

Now, while we're slapping each other on the back, here's my plea: start turning shovels. Quickly. Because you never know what could happen next.

Back in June, the Billy Donovan-to-the-Magic story filtered into our Sun Sports studio about 24 hours before anything hit the media. We were told it was a "done deal," and the ensuing press conference seemed to confirm that. After all, his name was on the contract.

But I remember saying to one of my co-workers on the day before the press conference that I'd believe he was the coach when I saw him walk onto the floor on opening night. She chuckled at me, incredulously, and repeated that it was a "done deal."

How'd that work out?

Turn some dirt before anyone can change their minds. Put up a "Future Site Of..." sign before some renegade hotelier (ahem) decides to file a lawsuit -- which may be inevitable anyway. Release some artist's renderings before tourism takes an unexpected nosedive, or Tampa gets awarded another major event over Orlando, or the public loses interest. Capitalize on the momentum, and the spirit. It rarely comes along in these parts, so jump on it. Get the ball rolling, somehow, right away.

The county's approval of this plan is indeed historic, and represents a monumental shift in how Orlando and central Florida will do business from this point forward. For that, all parties should be congratulated.

Now, it's time to get to work.