ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando City SC and the City of Orlando have announced the selection of Populous as the lead architect and Barton Malow as the construction manager for the new, downtown Major League Soccer (MLS) stadium. Orlando City concurrently announced the selection of ICON Venue Group to serve as the Club’s owner’s representative overseeing the project.
The stadium is expected to break ground in 2014 and is funded through a 50/50 public-private partnership, with $40 million pledged by the Club and the remainder via public contributions secured to date from Orange County, City of Orlando, Seminole County and Osceola County. Orlando City SC has agreed to cover any cost overruns associated with the project. The stadium will be operated by the City of Orlando.
“We are truly excited to have Populous, Barton Malow & ICON Venue Group on board for the design and construction for the new, downtown stadium in Orlando,” said Orlando City President Phil Rawlins. “They each have proven track records and I look forward to working with them as we continue our progress toward our inaugural MLS season in 2015.”
The stadium will be located on Church Street, in a vibrant and expanding section of Orlando's sports and entertainment district adjacent to the Parramore neighborhood. The new stadium will be accessible by both car and public transportation. The stadium’s location is adjacent to Amway Center, also designed by Populous, and will allow for synergy between the two facilities and increased activity in the surrounding community. Prior to moving into the new stadium, Orlando City will play matches on a temporary basis at the newly renovated Citrus Bowl stadium.
“This is an incredible opportunity for the City of Orlando to engrain soccer into the fabric of the city with the design of a new, soccer-specific urban stadium,” said Bruce Miller, Principal at Populous and leader of the design team. “Our design team is excited to work to capture the spirit of both the city and the fan base in our design to create a stadium that will be vibrant, intimate and iconic. It’s an opportunity for the team to redefine the soccer experience for an entire region.”
Populous is responsible for the design of the two newest MLS Stadiums – Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan. and BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, Tex. – as well as the design of iconic sports and entertainment destinations that include Yankee Stadium, Wembley Stadium, O2 Arena, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Amway Center and main stadiums for the London, Sochi and Sydney Olympic Games.
Barton Malow is widely known for providing quality construction management, design build, program management, general contracting and technology services. Consistently ranked among the top construction firms in the United States, Barton Malow has earned a reputation as an industry leader that pushes the quality and innovation envelope.
“Barton Malow is thrilled with our selection as the Construction Manager for this landmark project.,” said David Price, Vice President at Barton Malow and leader of their construction team. “As a lifelong soccer fan, I look forward with excitement to the many positive benefits and opportunities that the Orlando City SC’s new stadium will bring to our community.
During construction, Barton Malow will focus on providing innovative solutions that emphasize a complete “street-to-seat” experience for the Orlando City fans. We will do this by using an array of advanced construction technologies to accomplish the project’s program, budget and schedule goals. We also look forward to engaging our community by maximizing opportunities for local firms and residents to participate in the construction process.”
Barton Malow has a long history of building sports venues that provide an intense fan environment where championships are won and history is made. Their body of work includes redeveloping some of America’s most iconic sports venues including Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the University of Michigan’s “Big House,” The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA and the Daytona International Speedway.
ICON Venue Group (ICON), the industry-leading owner’s representative and project management firm will oversee the planning, design and construction for the new stadium. ICON has served as project manager on eight of the eleven MLS stadiums that have been constructed or renovated in the last ten years. ICON and Populous have a long working history and have completed more than a dozen projects together, including BBVA Compass Stadium, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, CONSOL Energy Center, Sprint Center and most recently, Las Vegas Arena.
“From the enthusiasm of the fans, the dedication of ownership, support of the City of Orlando and success of the team, this project has so much momentum,” said Charlie Thornton, ICON Venue Group Executive Vice President. “We are invigorated by the movement and thrilled to be part of Orlando’s soccer legacy.”
