It used to be called the Florida Citrus Bowl. These days, it’s called Camping World Stadium. Soon it’ll get a futuristic new look, along with possibly a new name.
An upcoming $400-million renovation, paid for with Orange County tourist tax dollars, will better connect the east and west ends of the nearly 90-year-old stadium, add new luxury boxes and a retractable stage area, and increase the stadium’s seating from 63,000 to 65,000 in a bid to attract bigger events.
It’ll also make an artistic statement in downtown Orlando. DLR Group lead architect Ryan Freeland says he was inspired by moving water and palm fronds when he designed a metallic skin that will encircle the stadium.
Construction is slated to start in early 2026 and be completed by August 2027 — just in time for the stadium to potentially host the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 2027 season while the Jags’ stadium undergoes its own upcoming renovations. (The Jags might still spend 2027 in Gainesville instead — it’s closer to Jacksonville.)
The city of Orlando is also looking for a new naming rights partner to replace Camping World, the nationwide RV dealer whose contract with the stadium quietly expired last year.
HIGHER EDUCATION
- Originally founded to provide trained workers for NASA, the University of Central Florida is launching an online space MBA program. The two-year program will focus on space commercialization, business strategy and innovation. Classes are slated to begin next spring. The degree will enable students to work in either the private sector or public sector agencies like NASA or the Space Force.
- Full Sail University, which has no on-campus student housing, plans to break ground later this year on its first residence hall across the street from its campus in Winter Park. A pedestrian bridge over University Boulevard will connect the dorm with the campus. The first phase will have 580 beds, while future phases could bring the total number of student beds above 2,000.
- Bethune-Cookman University received a nearly $900,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to upgrade its technology infrastructure, a critical step in advancing STEM education at the school.
PULSE MEMORIAL
- As part of their efforts to build a memorial to the 2016 Pulse Nightclub mass shooting, Orlando leaders have approved the purchase of about an acre next to the former Pulse property for $1 million. The city intends to start construction on the memorial in mid-2026 and finish by the end of 2027.
PERFORMING ARTS
- The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, located across from Orlando City Hall, bought two adjacent pieces of property for $10 million. It hasn’t yet announced long-term plans for the land. “Short-term uses for the parcels include administrative office space and guest parking,” the center says.
REAL ESTATE
- Tupperware’s headquarters in the Orlando area dates back to the 1950s. Now its former 43-acre HQ campus in Kissimmee is up for sale, including more than 215,000 square feet of office and industrial space in seven buildings. Tupperware filed for bankruptcy in 2024, and its headquarters closed last year.
HEALTH CARE
- AdventHealth named new leaders for three of its Central Florida hospitals. The nonprofit health system appointed Sheila Rankin as CEO of 422-bed AdventHealth Winter Park, Craig Moore as CEO of 282-bed AdventHealth Kissimmee and Aimee Keller-Pickford as CEO of 96- bed AdventHealth Winter Garden.
NONPROFITS
- Junior Achievement of Central Florida plans to create a 13,400-sq.-ft. education center in the Lake Nona community of east Orlando. Thanks to a gift from board member Jesse Eisner, it will be called the Junior Achievement Eisner Family Dreamers Center. Slated to open in fall 2026, the center will teach students about financial literacy, entrepreneurship and career readiness. Its offerings will include JA BizTown, a simulated city where students can take on roles such as business executives or government leaders.
AIRPORTS
- Work has begun on the first hotel at the Kissimmee Gateway Airport, a 122-room Hyatt Studios hotel. Airport leaders hope it will serve as a catalyst for future development there.
- The Melbourne Airport Authority approved a major land acquisition at Melbourne Orlando International Airport. The airport is buying 176 acres at its northwest corner, marking one of the largest expansions in its history. Officials say the purchase will ensure the airport has room to expand for decades to come.
DEFENSE INDUSTRY
- Orlando-based Cole Engineering Services has won a $62-million contract to build more than 100 Stinger missile training systems over the next five years for the U.S. Army. The systems will be used in combat training centers. Founded in 2004, the company develops cyber training platforms.
TOURISM
- With more than 15,000 five-star reviews on the website Tripadvisor, the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex recently claimed the No. 1 spot as the top attraction in the U.S. when Tripadvisor announced the winners of its annual Travelers’ Choice Awards.
Mall Makeover
The dilapidated and half-empty Titusville Mall, formerly known as the Searstown Mall, will be replaced by a $240-million “urban village” — a mixed-use development featuring an apartment complex, a hotel, an assisted living facility, updated retail space, restaurants, a medical complex and offices. The 22-acre site located off U.S. 1 will be rebranded as the Titusville Resort & Destination.
Originally built during NASA’s Apollo era in the mid-1960s, the mall has fallen into disrepair, with a potholed parking lot and less than half of its storefronts occupied. A California-based company is redeveloping the property. The construction is to be done in phases, and the city of Titusville is kicking in $2.4 million in economic incentives.
Biggest Build-A-Bear
A three-story Build-A-Bear Workshop, the company’s largest, has broken ground in the Icon Park entertainment district on Orlando’s International Drive. The 33,600-sq.-ft. location is expected to open next summer and will feature a partially enclosed rooftop restaurant.
NOTABLE QUOTABLE
“Joining together with three major leaders in the health care space will allow us to invest and develop the next generation of startups.” — Jake McGee, director of corporate partnerships for Plug and Play Orlando, which is launching a health tech accelerator in Lake Nona with GuideWell, KPMG and Orlando Health