Orlando’s West Side Story: How Sports & Entertainment Are Shaping the City’s Future
- Thom Chuparkoff, AIA, LEED AP, NCARB
- Sep 2
- 7 min read
By Thom Chuparkoff, AIA, LEED AP, NCARB | Senior Vice President and Director of OSPORTS
When I walk through Orlando’s Sports & Entertainment Corridor, I don’t just see buildings, I see years of planning, community meetings, design charettes, and a vision that has finally come to life. In just over a decade, four major venues have risen to form a true sports and entertainment corridor, a district where billions of dollars of investment have transformed how this city gathers, celebrates, and connects.
As a former Orlando resident and part of the design team for Inter&Co Stadium, I’ve seen this transformation firsthand. Now, as Senior Vice President and Director of OSPORTS, I often point to Orlando as a national model, one of the few American cities that has truly reimagined its downtown through venues that function as hubs of both sport and culture.
And it didn’t happen by chance. It happened because of leadership and vision, most notably from Mayor Buddy Dyer, who recognized early on that these projects could be more than buildings. They could be the anchors of a district that drives economic growth and civic pride for generations.
Anchors That Define a District
Every great city needs anchors, and here, they’re more than just buildings; they’re icons.
Inter&Co Stadium is the most personal of these to me, as I served on the design team that made this remarkable venue a reality. As the first true European-style soccer stadium in the U.S., its design was a deliberate departure from the norm. Steep stands bring fans closer to the pitch, creating an electric atmosphere that rivals stadiums overseas. Sustainability was baked into the design, with features that minimize environmental impact without sacrificing fan comfort.
But Inter&Co Stadium's impact extends far beyond its bowl. The venue was designed with pedestrian-centered streetscapes that transform match days into community celebrations. Wide sidewalks and shaded gathering areas encourage fans to arrive early and linger after the final whistle, while integrated public art and distinctive lighting create a sense of place that's uniquely Orlando. The stadium's plaza doesn't just serve as a pre-game gathering spot - it's programmed for community events year-round, ensuring the space remains active even when soccer isn't being played.
Then there’s the Kia Center, which sparked the downtown momentum by delivering one of the most advanced NBA arenas in the country. Home to the Orlando Magic, it also brought major concerts and events that redefine the downtown experience - and this year marks its 15th anniversary. The LEED Gold-certified building features a distinctive facade of glass, metal, and precast panels with a monumental wall displaying changing graphics, a 180-foot beacon tower with extensive digital displays, and the tallest HD video board in an NBA venue. The interior boasts vibrant concourse lighting, a family-friendly atmosphere, and multiple levels of restaurants and bars accessible to all patrons.
The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, while technically east of I-4, is still within walking distance and plays a critical role in the corridor’s identity. Its Broadway shows, concerts, and community gatherings broaden the district’s cultural appeal far beyond sports.
And let’s not forget Camping World Stadium, a historic venue that continues to evolve with the city. Its latest renovation phase is bringing new seating, enhanced fan experiences, and modern amenities, ensuring it remains competitive for the annual Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) Festival, college football bowl games, international soccer, and global events like WrestleMania.
What ties these venues together isn't just proximity—it's intentional connectivity. Clear wayfinding systems and pedestrian-friendly pathways create seamless movement between venues, encouraging visitors to experience multiple attractions in a single visit. The corridor's transit-oriented design prioritizes buses, rideshare zones, and walkable connections, while strategically placed structured parking on the periphery prevents surface lots from dominating the streetscape.
Billions Invested, Countless Returns
Together, these projects represent billions of dollars of public and private investment. But the return has been much greater than just new facilities. The corridor has drawn people back into the core of the city, fueled local businesses, and helped Orlando emerge as a destination where sports, culture, and community thrive side by side.
Few cities have pulled off something on this scale. Many boast one iconic arena or a beloved stadium, but Orlando now has four distinctive, world-class venues woven into one downtown district. These four venues have been the catalyst for other crucial developments in the downtown area. The relocation of the Orlando Police Department, the creation of the Valencia College Downtown Campus, and the development of the Creative Village were all intentional moves. You can think of these developments like a snowball that is certainly going to continue growing. This level of coordination and commitment from a city is rare, and it’s part of what makes this story so compelling.
The Role of Vision
From my perspective, what makes Orlando’s Sports & Entertainment Corridor special isn’t just the venues as stand-alone structures; it’s the way they work together as part of a bigger urban strategy.
On Orlando’s west side, what began as a simple need for a ballfield, a stadium, and an auditorium has grown into one of the city’s most dynamic districts. For decades, venues were built out of demand for space, but in 2003, the city shifted toward a comprehensive strategy to revitalize the area that wove sports, entertainment, education, and civic projects into a unified vision.
At the center of all this is Mayor Buddy Dyer. He understood that investing in world-class venues was key to creating a vibrant Downtown core that would draw people in to gather, celebrate, and feel a sense of pride in our community.
This comprehensive strategy embraces what urban planners call "24/7 activation"- ensuring the corridor pulses with life beyond game days and show nights. Mixed-use development weaves hotels, offices, residential units, and retail throughout the district, creating the daily foot traffic that sustains local businesses. Adjacent open spaces are programmed for farmers' markets, festivals, and community gatherings when the major venues are dark. Streets double as event promenades during parades and fan celebrations, while plazas and greenways encourage people to linger rather than simply pass through.
The economic ecosystem extends beyond the venue walls. Local restaurants, cultural institutions, and small businesses are deliberately woven into the corridor's fabric, ensuring that event traffic benefits surrounding neighborhoods, not just the anchor institutions. This creates a multiplier effect where every Magic game, Orlando City match, or Broadway show generates activity that ripples throughout the district.
The roadmap for success goes beyond just building big venues - it depends on the design details and the urban framework that tie everything together.
When we design a venue, we think beyond the walls:
Where will fans gather before the game? Public plazas, wide sidewalks, and active ground floors give people spaces to meet and celebrate.
How will they get here and leave safely? Mobility planning—integrated transit, rideshare zones, and pedestrian-friendly connections—becomes just as important as the building itself.
Can we connect them to other attractions, so their visit becomes an all-day experience? Mixed-use development and district-wide branding ensure that restaurants, retail, arts, and education all reinforce one another.
These design principles reflect a broader urban planning philosophy that treats venues as catalysts, not endpoints. Orlando’s west side answers every one of these questions, delivering a holistic experience that many cities are still striving to achieve. Each facility was positioned to spark complementary private investment while maintaining flexibility for future growth. The phased development approach allows the district to adapt to new technologies and uses over time, while cohesive branding and district identity—from signage to lighting—establish the corridor as a distinct destination with its own character and story.
The result is iconic architecture that functions as both a landmark and a community gathering space, where venues serve as modern-day town squares that bring people together across demographic and cultural lines.
That vision is paying off. Today, the sports and entertainment corridor is alive seven days a week, with events ranging from NBA and MLS soccer games to Broadway shows and community festivals. It is a hub of activity and identity, drawing residents and visitors alike into the heart of Orlando.
Looking Ahead
I’ve been part of projects across the country, but Orlando’s Sports & Entertainment Corridor holds a special place for me, having been a resident for years. It’s proof that when you design with intention, when you think about people first and buildings second, you can reshape a city’s identity.
Here, sports and entertainment aren’t just pastimes; they’re catalysts for economic growth, cultural exchange, and community pride.
For me, it’s rewarding to see how design, vision, and leadership came together here. I often tell people that today’s sports and entertainment venues are like modern-day cathedrals, where communities gather, cheer, and celebrate. In Orlando, we’ve built not just one, but an entire district of them, each contributing to a story that’s still being written.
The next chapter? Even better than the last. And I can’t wait to help design it.
Thom Chuparkoff, AIA, LEED AP, NCARB
Senior Vice President and Director of OSPORTS
About Thom Chuparkoff, AIA, LEED AP, NCARB
Thom is a Senior Vice President and Director of OSPORTS. He is a practicing architect specializing in public assembly, sports, and entertainment venues. With 26 years of experience, Thom has designed arenas, stadiums, and entertainment venues across the United States, with a significant number of these projects achieving LEED certification. He has become an industry leader in the new era of parametric design and process-oriented project execution. Thom has vast experience as a project manager, project architect, interior designer, construction administrator, and BIM specialist. Thom's collaborative approach led to the successful design, documentation, and execution of Exploria Stadium in Orlando and Daily's Place Amphitheater and Covered FlexField in Jacksonville.
