ORLANDO – October 15, 2014 – The City Beautiful is one day away from the much anticipated groundbreaking for the new Downtown home of Orlando City Soccer Club Thursday evening. The Club has saved the best detail for last.
As distinguished guests, players, staff and fans converge on the site of the future stadium, the festivities will feature a musical experience unique to Orlando City and its new home, Parramore. The March to the Match, a pregame tradition that will kick off the ceremony from Church Street Station, will be led by members of the Club’s Recognized Supporter Groups: The Ruckus and The Iron Lion Firm.
Fans will be welcomed to the groundbreaking site by Parramore’s renowned Jones High School Marching Tiger Band in a special musical transition between the two musical groups. In addition, students from the Nap Ford Community School will perform on-stage toward the end of the event while fans gather purple sand as part of their commemorative gift.
Lastly, two eighth-grade students from Howard Middle School will join the group of dignitaries for the ceremonial dig. Sky Walton and Shandel Brummit, who are also part of Parramore Kidz Zone and Orlando After School All-Stars, were selected by their essays describing their wish to participate in the groundbreaking ceremony.
Jim Philips, host of the popular Phillips Phile radio show, donated his role in the ceremony, which he purchased at a live auction during the Orlando City Annual Awards Gala in early September.
The groundbreaking celebration is open to all, and fans who attend will receive a unique gift to remember this day: a clear miniature Orlando City commemorative paint can which they can use to scoop up and take home purple sand from the groundbreaking ceremony. Over 24 tons of purple sand will be trucked in for use in the unique event.
Also, from 6:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, fans in attendance will be asked to post images from the groundbreaking to Instagram using the hashtag #WeDigPurple. Those images will appear live on Clear Channel Outdoor’s 36 digital boards throughout the City Beautiful.
Below is a full schedule of events for Thursday evening:
5:30 p.m. – Fans gather at Church Street Station
6:15 p.m. – March begins from Church Street to groundbreaking site
~6:45 p.m. – Formal groundbreaking event begins
~7:20 p.m. – Ceremonial dig
