Our friends at the CFHLA were pleased to announce the culmination of nearly a year's worth of extensive discussions involving Orange County residents, representatives from the tourism and hospitality sectors, the Tourist Development Tax Citizens Advisory Task Force, and the Board of Orange County Commissioners (BOCC).

Ultimately, the BOCC voted 6-1 in favor of advancing the recommendations put forth by Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and supported by CFHLA during Tuesday's session.

Key highlights from the vote include:

• Maintaining VisitOrlando's 30% funding from the total annual Tourist Development Tax (TDT) collected for the next four years. However, Visit Orlando will now see an annual reduction of $15 million, with this amount redirected to the Sport Incentive Committee (increased from $4 million to $10 million annually) and the Application Review Committee (ARC) ($5 million annually) for arts and cultural facilities throughout Orange County.

• Allocation of $400 million for the construction of a new Upper Bowl and field house at Camping World Stadium.

• An increase in operational funding for the Greater Orlando Sports Commission from $300,000 to $740,660.50 per year.

• Extension of the TDT 6th cent, not to exceed $226 million, for essential systems and technology updates at the Kia Center (formerly Amway Arena).

These decisions complement the prior approval of TDT funding, including $560 million for Phase 5A completion of the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC), $90 million for UCF's Stadium Tower, and nearly $150 million to support local arts and cultural affairs groups approved in October 2023.

This vote signifies a significant victory for Orange County residents and underscores a successful stride forward for our industry and community. While some contractual negotiations remain, this marks a pivotal advancement.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Orange County Mayor Demings and Commissioners Gomez Cordero, Moore, Scott, Uribe, and Wilson for their unwavering support during Tuesday's proceedings, as well as to all CFHLA Board Members who contributed through attendance, letters of support, and advocacy efforts over the past year.