ORLANDO, Fla. — The City Council is scheduled to vote on a project that could change the landscape of the area near the brand new Magic entertainment complex, Kia Center.
Millions of dollars are being spent on this, and the plan is to attract more people to this side of town, especially tourists visiting the theme parks.
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“We plan to go to the City Council for final approval at the end of April. Once we receive final approval, we'll be full steam ahead from there,” Magic CEO Alex Martins said.
Right now, the space is overgrown with weeds and cracked pavement, but it could soon look completely different.
The City Council will discuss an agreement to pool property tax revenue into the Magic Entertainment Complex.
The project is split into two parts, with the city committing funding to start the project during the first four years and up to $40 million by 2042.
The city of Orlando is also increasing funding for the construction of entertainment spaces included in the plan.
Read: Development plans move forward for Orlando Magic sports and entertainment district
In exchange, they will be able to host 10 events a year without paying rental fees.
The hope is that the complex will once again bring in plenty of business to offset costs, including major sporting events like NBA All-Star weekend.
“They need different types of facilities. It's not just a matter of the facility where the All-Stars play,” Martins said. “We're going to need to go to the convention center, and we're going to need other major venues downtown.”
If they vote Monday to approve funding for the complex, construction is already expected to begin later this year.
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