Orlando, Florida is ramping up its efforts to attract more international sporting events to the area, with the ultimate goal of hosting the Florida Olympics.
The US is gearing up to host two Olympic Games, along with football and rugby World Cups, over the next decade. In response, Orlando is making its ambitions clear to be a major player in this exciting period.
Orlando has expressed its interest in hosting trials for the Los Angeles 2028 Games and is also aiming to be a host city for the men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups in 2031 and 2033.
Jason Siegel, CEO of the Greater Orlando Sports Commission, told Reuters at the Paris Olympics: “Our community has essentially told me, ‘Let’s get the word out.’ There’s a strong desire to be very proactive in this space.”
The Greater Orlando Sports Commission, representing Orlando and surrounding counties, has boosted its annual budget for bidding on sports events from $4m to $10m, with plans for further increases.
Bidding for the Olympics, the pinnacle of sports competitions is a long-term endeavour and likely won’t be viable before the 2040s. This ambitious project would require support from the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, Florida state officials and commercial partners. Siegel noted that collaborating with other Florida cities like Miami, Jacksonville and Tampa would be advantageous.
In the meantime, the region is focusing on intermediate goals, such as hosting the Olympic marathon trials in February, which featured a route through downtown Orlando.
The Greater Orlando Sports Commission enjoys backing from Disney and Universal, who see potential benefits in attracting sports fans who might extend their visits to the theme parks. Both companies were involved in discussions with FIFA when Orlando aimed to be one of the US host cities for the 2026 World Cup, according to Siegel.
In addition to addressing infrastructure challenges – such as a newly constructed airport terminal, a high-speed rail connection between Orlando and Miami and 45 existing venues – there are also concerns about the climate.
Siegel added: “There were conversations about what time of day we were going to run. Are we going to run at noon? Are we going to run at eight o’clock in the morning?
“Ultimately, weather conditions are a typical risk assessment for sport rights holders and the level of preparation may be no different than a cold climate. We can assure them of no blizzards.”
Earlier this month Siegel spoke with Insider Sport about realising Orlando’s potential as a US sports hub, in which he expanded on why Orlando is most ideally suited to hosting sporting events.
