Interoffice Memorandum
DATE: May 22, 2025
TO: Mayor Jerry L. Demings and County Commissioners
THROUGH: N/A
FROM: Ray Walls, Deputy Director, Orange County Convention Center
CONTACT: Ray Walls
PHONE: 407-685-5681
DIVISION: Fiscal and Operational Support Division
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approval of the Tourist Development Tax Sports Incentive Committee’s recommendations for sports incentive funding pursuant to the terms and conditions of funding agreements between Visit Orlando and the following applicants and authorization for Visit Orlando to enter into such agreements as follows: (1) $10,000 per year, for a total of $20,000, to the Greater Orlando Sports Commission to be used for venue rental expenses for the 2026 and 2027 Atlantic Sun Conference Swimming and Diving Championships; (2) $200,000 per year, for a total of $600,000, to Greater Orlando Sports Commission to offset bid fees for the DreamHack 2026-2028 events; (3) $35,000 per year, for a total of $105,000, to Greater Orlando Sports Commission for marketing and promotional costs for the Orlando Spartan Event Weekend 2025-2027 events. (Fiscal and Operational support Division)
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PROJECT: Sports Incentive Committee Funding Requests
PURPOSE: On November 1, 2016, the Board authorized consolidated sports funding under the tourist development plan for incentivizing sporting events in Orange County venues. Since 2017, Visit Orlando has provided professional assistance in evaluating sports incentive funding proposals before the Tourist Development Tax Sports Incentive Committee (SIC). Sports incentive funds are held in a separate Visit Orlando account. On October 22, 2019, the Board approved a new tourism promotion agreement pursuant to which Visit Orlando will now administer both the evaluation of proposals and enter into funding agreements with applicants after the SIC funding recommendations have been approved by the Board. On May 21, 2024, the Board approved an amendment to the 2019 agreement with Visit Orlando whereby Visit Orlando will fund up to $10 million annually for incentivizing sporting events as part of this program and allowing that amount to grow in fiscal year 2028 based on increasing Tourist Development Tax collections.
At its May 19, 2025 meeting, the SIC recommended approval of three funding requests after hearing presentations from the respective applicants. Visit Orlando’s staff also provided an evaluation of the proposals for consideration by the SIC.
2026 and 2027 Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Conference Swimming & Diving Championships The SIC recommended approval of the Greater Orlando Sports Commission’s (GOSC) request of $10,000 per year, for a total of $20,000, to be used for venue rental expenses for 2026 and 2027 ASUN Conference Swimming and Diving Championships to be held at the Rosen Aquatic and Fitness Center for four days in February of each year. The event is the annual collegiate swimming and diving championship for the ASUN Conference, a division I NCAA conference, and will attract about 5,500 in combined attendance each year, including approximately 500 athletes and coaches. Annual room night projections are 1,300 and the estimated economic impact of the event is approximately $1.3M each year.
DreamHack Orlando 2026-2028 The SIC recommended approval of GOSC’s request of $200,000 per year, for a total of $600,000, to offset the bid fees for the DreamHack event to be held at the Orange County Convention Center over three days in October 2026 and December 2027 and 2028. The event is one of the world’s largest gaming and Esports festivals held in the United States annually. This would be the first time for the event to be held in Orlando. Attendance for the event is expected to be 40,000 annually, with a generation of 8,500 room nights each year, and an economic impact of approximately $8 million per event.
Orlando Spartan Event Weekend 2025-2027 The SIC recommended approval of the GOSC’s request of $35,000 per year, for a total of $105,000, to pay marketing and promotional costs for the Orlando Spartan Event Weekend to be held over three days in Lake Nona in early November 2025, 2026, and 2027. Founded in 2010, Spartan Race has become the world’s largest endurance event company and has a corporate presence in Lake Nona. The inaugural Orlando Spartan Event Weekend will be held this year and consist of corporate sprint distance races (1k and 3k), along with 5k, 10k, and kids races drawing participants from across the United States. Annual attendance is estimated at 9,000. Annual room night generation is estimated at 4,000 and the estimated economic impact of the event is estimated at $3M each year.
BUDGET: N/A