New promotional plans in the works for the amphitheater
By Teresa Sargeant
Reporter
The Apopka City Council approved the $13.1 million Tourism Development Tax (TDT) Grant from Orange County that will finance two separate projects at the Northwest Recreation Complex: the amphitheater upgrade and construction of a new quad of softball fields.
Council members cast their votes on March 5 after Radley William, city parks and recreation director, presented information about the grant and how it would be used to finance the amphitheater improvements and construction of the softball field quad.
The grant is split up into yearly appropriations. In discussion with Commissioner Nick Nesta about the grant, Williams confirmed that no match is required for the grant.
In addition, new promotional plans are in the works for the amphitheater to seek out past promoters and new ones for the venue.
“We’re becoming more active in Visit Florida and Visit Orlando to help market this particular venue, along with the field and athletic side of it. And there’s interest in the amphitheater,” Williams told Nesta. “We actually this week had an outreach from a new person, a new group that’s looking for a space that might fit their needs at the amphitheater.”
“It’s a great space, incredible space,” Nesta said in response. “Let’s maximize it, because it can be a an incredible income producer for us in a benefit to the community.”
The new $8.3 million softball field quad, identified as project area one, will span about 632,000 sq. ft. and include restrooms, concessions, a maintenance building, and walkways, dugouts, and bleachers for the softball fields. There will also be grass and ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant parking.
The $4.8 million amphitheater upgrade, called project area two, will concentrate on renovating 460,000 sq. ft. and include a new ticket booth, a restroom complex, a new concession area, an upper walkway with vendor and food truck areas at the top of the hill, and more ADA-compliant parking and ADA-compliant seating.
In the last few years, the city has been putting extra funding in the capital plans for the amphitheater to increase perimeter fencing, which in turn will lessen the infrastructure costs that currently a promoter will have to bring in such as portable toilets and fencing, Williams said.
Williams also presented the TDT grant and the projects the money will be for at the Feb. 19 council meeting, when he said the grant will be brought back to the council for its approval on March 5.
The county’s Tourist Development Tax Application Review Committee evaluates applications for capital gains projects asking for funds between $2 million and $15 million toward a project that must be wholly located within Orange County. Such money is for the purchase, building, and remodeling of qualifying facilities.
Also called the bed tax, the TDT is a 6 percent tax that is charged on six-months-or-less rentals such as hotel and motel accommodations.
The Apopka Chief is an award-winning weekly newspaper serving the greater Apopka area in Central Florida since 1923.
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