The city of Orlando is the county seat of Orange County, Florida. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 185,951 (metropolitan area 1,644,561). A 2005 U.S. Census Estimates population count gave the city population was 213,223 [2], making it the sixth largest city in Florida. It is also at the head of the Orlando-Kissimmee, Florida, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The Orlando-Kissimmee MSA is Florida's third-largest metropolitan area, behind Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater. Additionally, Orlando is home to the second largest university in Florida, the University of Central Florida.
The city is best known for the many tourist attractions in the area, particularly the nearby Walt Disney World Resort, which is in the Reedy Creek Improvement District (outside Orlando city limits). Other area attractions include SeaWorld and Universal Orlando Resort. Despite being far from the main tourist attractions, downtown Orlando has recently seen much redevelopment, with many more projects currently under construction or planned. Orlando sees an estimated 52 million tourists a year. Orlando is the 2nd largest city in the country for number of hotel rooms. Orlando is also known for its wide array of golf courses, with numerous courses available for any level of golfer.
The city's nickname is 'The City Beautiful'. Its symbol is the fountain of Lake Eola. The current mayor is Buddy Dyer.
GeographyOrlando is located at (28.533513, -81.375789).GR1
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 261.5 km² (100.9 mi²). 242.2 km² (93.5 mi²) of it is land and 19.3 km² (7.5 mi²) of it (7.39%) is water. Orlando is, on average, 106 feet above sea level.
Orlando is rivaled only by the Twin Cities in the number of natural lakes to be found in its metropolitan area. The Orlando area is home to more than 100 lakes, the largest of which are Lake Apopka, Eustis, Griffin, Harney, Harris, Jesup, Monroe, Sand Lake, Conway, and Tohopekaliga. The region Orlando occupies is generally low-lying, the only exception being minor sand hills formed by wave action in earlier geological eras when sea level was higher. These sand hills are found primarily in the western sections of the metropolitan area, especially in Lake County. The area is also very prone to sink-holes due to the large number of underground limestone caverns that are located in the area. Many of the lakes started as sink holes in recent geologic history.
NeighborhoodsThe city of Orlando has 115 neighborhoods in the city limits,[1] some of which are:
(~)-gay communities
Metropolitan Statistical AreaOrlando is the hub city of the Orlando-Kissimmee, Florida, Metropolitan Statistical Area, colloquially known as 'Greater Orlando' or 'Metro Orlando'. The area encompasses four counties (Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Lake), and is currently the 28th-largest metro area in the United States with a 2005 Census-estimated population of 1,933,255.
Joined together with The Villages, Florida, Micropolitan Statistical Area, which adds Sumter County, Florida, it forms the Orlando-The Villages, Florida, Combined Statistical Area. The CSA has a total of 1,997,437 people. [5]
The metro area is one of the fastest-growing areas in the nation, and the surrounding areas of Volusia, Brevard and Polk Counties are also seeing explosive growth.
ClimateOrlando has a warm and humid subtropical climate, and there are two major seasons each year. One of those seasons is hot and rainy, lasting from April until October (roughly coinciding with the Atlantic hurricane season). The other is a cooler season (November through March) that brings more moderate temperatures and less frequent rainfall. The area's warm and humid climate is caused primarily by its low elevation and its position relatively close to the Tropic of Cancer, and much of its weather is affected by the movement of the Gulf Stream.
During the height of Orlando's very humid summer season, temperatures rarely fall below 70 °F (21 °C), and daytime highs average in the 90s (32-37 °C). Although the city rarely records temperatures over 100 °F (38 °C), extreme humidity often pushes the heat index to over 110 °F (43 °C). The city's highest recorded temperature is 102 °F (39 °C), set in 1998. During these months, strong afternoon thunderstorms occur almost daily. These storms are caused by air masses from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean colliding over Central Florida, and they often bring high wind, damaging hail, heavy rainfall (sometimes several inches per hour), and violent lightning. Orlando is sometimes referred to as the lightning capital of the world, but it is actually second to parts of Central Africa in its frequency of strikes. It does have more lightning than any other city in the United States. The humidity also prevents temperatures from varying much from day to day.
During the winter season, humidity is lower and temperatures are more moderate, and can fluctuate more readily. Average lows in January are around 50 °F (10 °C), and the highs average near 70 °F (21 °C). Temperatures rarely reach below 32 °F (0 °C), although the coldest temperature ever recorded was 16 °F (-9 °C) in 1985. Because the winter season is dry and most freezing temperatures occur after cold fronts (and their accompanying precipitation) have passed, Orlando experiences no real snowfall. Although no measurable amount of snow has ever fallen (though areas just west recorded up to 2' in 1977), trace amounts were officially observed on December 23, 1989, and trace flurries of ocean effect snow were also reported in nearby coastal Brevard County on January 24, 2003. [6] Another incident of snow flurries, mixed with rain, occurred on November 21, 2006. [7] When flurries do occur, most are isolated incidents that are never officially recorded.
The average annual rainfall in Orlando is 50.1 in. (128 cm), most of it occurring in the period from June to September. The months of December through May are Orlando's driest season. During this period (especially in its later months), there is often a wildfire hazard. During some years, fires have been severe. In 1998, an El Niño condition caused an usually wet January and February, followed by drought throughout the spring and early summer, causing a record wildfire season that created Greater Orlando's first instances of unhealthy air quality alerts.
Orlando has a considerable hurricane risk, although it is not as high as it is in South Florida's urban corridor or other coastal regions. Since the city is located 40 miles (64 km) inland from the Atlantic and 60 miles (97 km) inland from the Gulf of Mexico, hurricanes usually weaken before arriving. Storm surges are not a concern since the region is 100 ft (30 m) above sea level. Despite its relatively safe location, the city does see strong hurricanes. During the notorious 2004 hurricane season, Orlando was hit by three hurricanes that caused significant damage, with Hurricane Charley the worst of these. The city also experienced widespread damage during Hurricane Donna in 1960.
NOTE: The record high of 102 °F (39 °C) was recorded at Orlando International Airport, and is available from AccuWeather.com. (historical data from July is only visible in July and August unless you buy into their premium services) WeatherBase only uses historical data recorded at Orlando Executive Airport. Both airports have official National Weather Service recording stations.
Lake EolaIn Downtown Orlando, Florida, located at 28°32′37″N, 81°22′22″W. This lake is actually a sinkhole that struck an artesian well, and it's famous for its fountain. The fountain changes colors at night like a light show and in the daytime, it looks like a UFO landed in the pond. The lake is 4,529 feet in diameter and 23 acres large. The lake is surronded by Robinson Street (SR 526) to the north, Rosalind Avenue (SR 527 northbound) to the west, Central Boulevard to the south and Eola Drive to the east.
The park and pond was established in 1888 when the first parcel of land, the first of many that were donated by several different families, came into City ownership. The area was officially declared as a park in 1892. Oddly, at times, the park was a zoo, a horse race track, tennis courts, a pier with a dance area, and the home of a local radio station. The fountain was installed in 1912 with a cost of $10,000, and another was installed in 1957 with a cost of $350,000.
EconomyA large part of the Orlando area economy is involved in the tourist industry. Over 48 million visitors came to the Orlando region in 2004. The convention industry is also critical to the region's economy. The Orange County Convention Center, expanded in 2004 to over two million square feet (200,000 m²) of exhibition space, is now the second-largest convention complex in terms of space in the United States, trailing only McCormick Place in Chicago. The city vies with Chicago and Las Vegas for hosting the most convention attendees in the United States.[2]
The area's economy includes other industries besides tourism, such as manufacturing. Lockheed-Martin has a large manufacturing facility for missile systems, aeronautical craft and related high tech research. Since the 1970s, the area also has offices for many computer software and hardware firms, such as IBM and Oracle. Other notable engineering firms have offices or labs in the Central Florida area: KDF, General Dynamics, Harris, Westinghouse, Siemens, Veritas/Seagate, multiple USAF facilities, Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD), Delta Connection Academy, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, GE, Air Force Agency for Modeling and Simulation (AFAMS), Army Simulation Training and Instrumentation Command (STRICOM), AT&T, Boeing, CAE Systems Flight & Simulation Training, HP, Institute for Simulation and Training, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon Systems. The Naval Training Center until a few years ago was one of the two places where nuclear engineers were trained for the US Navy. Now the land has been converted into the Baldwin Park development.
Another developing sector is the film, television, and electronic gaming industries, aided by the presence of Universal Studios, Disney-MGM Studios, Full Sail School, the Florida interactive entertainment academy, and other entertainment companies and schools. Numerous office complexes for large corporations have popped up along the Interstate 4 corridor north of Orlando, especially in Maitland, Lake Mary and Heathrow. The U.S. modeling, simulation, and training (MS&T) industry is centered around the Orlando region as well, with a particularly strong presence in the Central Florida Research Park adjacent to UCF.
Nearby Maitland is the home of Tiburon, a division of the video game company Electronic Arts. Originally Tiburon Entertainment, it was acquired by EA in 1998 after years of partnership, particularly in the famous Madden NFL series and NCAA Football series of video games. Due to this, there were rumors in 2005 that EA may move its corporate HQ to Orlando.
Orlando has two non-profit hospital systems: Orlando Regional Healthcare and Florida Hospital. ORH's Orlando Regional Medical Center is home to Central Florida's only Level I trauma center, and the adjacent Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies has the area's only Level 3 neonatal intensive care unit. Florida Hospital's main campus is ranked as one of the best hospitals in the nation, and has a renowned brain attack facility. [8] Orlando's medical leadership will be further advanced with the completion of UCF's College of Medicine.
There is a very low unemployment rate in Greater Orlando of 2.8% as of October 2006.[3] The result is explosive growth that has led to urban sprawl in the surrounding area and skyrocketing housing prices. Housing prices in Greater Orlando went up 34% in one year, from an average of $182,000 in August 2004 to $245,000 in August 2005. House prices continue to rise, reaching a record $254,900 in July 2006.[4]
Due to this, many young adults and those in the lower class are having a difficult time finding housing within Orange County. A spring 2006 Orlando Sentinel article stated that in order to afford rent for a single bedroom apartment in Orange County one would be forced to earn at least a $20 per hour wage.[5]
Companies and organizations that have their corporate headquarters or a major presence in the area:
Transportation AirOrlando is served primarily by Orlando International Airport, though nearby Orlando Sanford International Airport also serves the area. Orlando Executive Airport is used for charter flights and General Aviation.
RoadsIts major freeway is Interstate 4, which crosses Florida's Turnpike southwest of Downtown Orlando. It is also served by the toll roads of the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority, particularly the East-West Expressway (SR 408), which crosses I-4 downtown.
The East West Expressway (SR 408) is undergoing major construction with the addition of lanes, concrete barrier walls, sound walls, and a better scenic view. This project began in 2005 and is not yet complete.
Because of the massive urban sprawl in the area and outdated and unplanned transit infrastructure, traffic congestion is a growing concern. Fundamentally, the lack of east-west mobility in the area creates severe traffic issues every weekday.
RailThe Orlando area is served by one through railroad, CSX Transportation's A line (formerly the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad's main line), and some spurs, mostly operated by the Florida Central Railroad. Amtrak passenger service runs along the CSX A line. See also a map of these railroads. In 2005 Federal and state funding was granted for the establishment of the Central Florida Commuter Rail service to operate on the CSX A line tracks between Deltona and Poinciana, passing through the downtown area and surrounding urban neighborhoods along the way. The service is expected to substantially reduce traffic congestion along the I-4 corridor, especially between downtown Orlando and the suburban communities in Seminole and Volusia Counties. The Federal and state funds would cover approximately 80% of the estimated $400 million cost for track modifications and construction of stations along the route. Pending approval by the county governments (Volusia, Seminole, Orange and Osceola) involved and the set aside of matching funds, the line is projected to begin operations in 2009.
The following major railroad stations have existed in Orlando:
Orlando is served by LYNX, offering local transit service which covers the five-county area (Osceola-Orange-Seminole-Lake-Volusia).
Additionally Greyhound Lines offers intercity bus service from Orlando to multiple locations across the country.
Light railSeveral attempts have been made to bring a light rail system to Orlando, but each one has met with failure due to a perceived lack of public interest and various conflicts over a potential route. Walt Disney World officials have been particularly adamant that a light rail line run from Orlando International Airport to the resort, drawing opposition from other vacation destinations who fear loss of business. Some local residents also oppose the idea of funding a system they believe to be only for the benefit of out-of-town tourists. This is in addition to the statewide debate over high speed rail, the various plans of which all center around Orlando. Another attempted route was a rail going between Tampa, Orlando, and Miami.
Many residents who have lived in Orlando for many years believe that a light rail system should be added to the cities growing economy to help cure the metropolitan area's difficult traffic problems. However several residents who move to the Central Florida area from other communities (specifically larger metropolitan cities) find it too industrializing for the city whose 'quiet charm' would like to remain established. This creates a conflict between new residents and those who have been born and raised in the Orlando metropolitan area and other Central Florida cities.
Commuter railA commuter rail system, Central Florida Commuter Rail, is in active planning with a planned opening in 2009 along current CSX lines between DeLand and Poinciana, going through Downtown Orlando with stations at the LYNX Central Station and Church Street Station.[6]
EducationPublic education is handled by Orange County Public Schools. Some of the larger private schools include Trinity Preparatory School, Lake Highland Preparatory School, Bishop Moore High School, New School of Orlando, Orlando Christian Academy, and Forest Lake Academy.
Area institutions of higher educationAs of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 285,951 people, 80,883 households, and 42,382 families residing in the city. The population density was 767.9/km² (1,988.9/mi²). There were 188,486 housing units at an average density of 365.4/km² (946.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 61.10% White, 36.70% African American, 1.43% Asian, 0.34% Native American, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 5.41% from other races, and 2.54% from two or more races. 17.79% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. [Total is greater than 100% because Hispanics may be of any race.] The city has large Puerto Rican, Colombian, Venezuelan, Haitian, Indian, Vietnamese communities (among others), and a growing number of Russian and British (mostly English) residents.
There were 80,883 households out of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.4% were married couples living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.6% were non-families. 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.0% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 37.3% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,732, and the median income for a family was $40,648. Males had a median income of $30,866 versus $25,267 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,216. About 13.3% of families and 15.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.0% of those under age 18 and 12.6% of those age 65 or over.
Population History of Orlando, Fl
Like fellow Florida cities Miami and Tampa, Orlando has a large and increasing number of Hispanic residents living in the city. Orlando is home to one of the nation's largest and rapidly-growing Puerto Rican communities (particularly its metropolitan area). This is reflected by the abundance of Hispanic-themed restaurants and radio stations. Spanish-language music, such as reggaeton, is common on Orlando radio stations. The Orlando Magic basketball team is the only team in the NBA to have a Latin Night, which is geared towards the Hispanic population in the area. Throughout the city, many Puerto Rican flags can be found on or near buildings, including car dealerships. The city's local newspaper, The Orlando Sentinel, publishes a weekly all-Spanish newspaper called El Sentinel.
Not all Hispanics in Central Florida are Puerto Rican, however. A large portion of these Latinos are also of Cuban descent, largely refugees or their children from the Cuban Revolution.
Orlando has an equally large African-American population. The city is located within six miles of Eatonville, Florida, the first all-black town to be incorporated in the United States.
Orlando is also becoming popular with Russian immigrants seeking careers or relocating their families to warmer climates. The growth rate of Russians in Central Florida is second only to the rising Hispanic population. The Russian community, made up of several countries of the former Soviet Union, has the Russian language as their common bond. Community and cultural groups are growing in popularity as is the number of Russian-American marriages.
Orlando is also home to a large Indian and Vietnamese population, as well as its very own 'Little India' on Lancaster Road and 'Little Vietnam' on East Colonial Drive.
Arts and entertainmentOrlando has been the home and capital of pop music and mainstream music in the mid 1990s, including Britney Spears, Mandy Moore, NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys, as well as Creed, Trivium, From First to Last, matchbox twenty, Seven Mary Three, DJ Icey, DJ KJ of K5, DJ Baby Anne, DJ Jimmy Joslin and DJ Scotty B. Sister Hazel, For Squirrels and Less Than Jake are from nearby Gainesville, as is superstar Tom Petty. Downtown Orlando is also the site of Club Paris, the dance club formerly owned by Paris Hilton.
The hip hop music scene, metal scene, rock music scene, Reggaeton and Latino scene, are all active within the city and is largely home to the Florida Breakbeat movement.
Comedian Wayne Brady is also from Orlando, as are actors Delta Burke and Wesley Snipes. Other comedians with ties to the area include Darrell Hammond, Carrot Top, and Larry the Cable Guy. Orlando is also a popular vacation area for such people as Tiger Woods and Justin Timberlake.
Artist Scott Waddell also attended high school in the area. New York Yankees outfielder Johnny Damon and Cincinnati Reds outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. make their offseason homes in the Orlando area.
Orlando has also been called Hollywood East because of numerous cinematic enterprises in the area.[7] Until recently, Walt Disney Feature Animation operated a studio out of Disney/MGM Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort. Feature Animation-Florida was primarily responsible for the films Mulan, Lilo & Stitch, and the early stages of Brother Bear and contributed on various other projects. Nickelodeon Studios, which through the 90s produced hundreds of hours of GAK-filled game shows targeted at children, no longer operates out of Universal Studios Florida. The Florida Film Festival in nearby Maitland is one of the most respected regional film festivals in the country and attracts budding filmmakers from around the world.
The Orlando Metropolitan Area is also home to a substantial theatre population. Several professional and semi-professional houses and many community theatres dot the area including Orlando-UCF Shakespeare Festival, Orlando Repertory Theatre (Central Florida's only Professional Theatre for Young Audiences), Orlando Theatre Project, Starlight Dinner Theatre, Mad Cow Theatre, Theatre Downtown, The Osceola Center for the Arts, Winter Park Playhouse, Theatre Winter Haven, IceHouse Theatre, and Seaside Music Theatre. In addition, the Bob Carr Performing Arts Center brings national tours through town on a regular basis. Each spring, local theatres and downtown venues play host to the Orlando International Fringe Festival, which draws touring companies from all around the world as well as readings and fully staged productions of new and unknown plays by local artists. Also in the spring, Darden Restaurants sponsors a Festival of New Plays, hosted by Orlando-UCF Shakespeare Festival.
Area attractionsThe Orlando area is home to a wide variety of tourist attractions, including the Walt Disney World resort, Universal Orlando Resort, and SeaWorld Orlando. The Walt Disney World resort is the area's largest attraction with its many facets such as the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach, and Downtown Disney. SeaWorld Orlando is a large adventure park that features numerous zoological displays and marine animals alongside an amusement park with roller coasters and water park. Universal Orlando, like Walt Disney World, is a multi-faceted resort comprised of Universal Studios, CityWalk, and the Islands of Adventure theme park.
Other attractions in the Greater Orlando area include:
Orlando is home to the Orlando Magic, an NBA pro basketball franchise that plays at Amway Arena in downtown Orlando. The team made it to the NBA Finals in 1995. Opened in 1989, Amway Arena is one of the oldest arenas in the NBA. It will be replaced by 2010 by the $480-million New Orlando Magic Arena.
The Orlando Predators of the Arena Football League also play at Amway Arena. Since joining the league in 1991, they have become one of the legendary franchises in the young league, having an infamous rivalry with the Tampa Bay Storm, two ArenaBowl titles (1998 and 2000), and several historic moments including the league's only shutout to date and a procession called the Miracle Minute where they scored two touchdowns with two-point conversions and forced a safety to come from behind in the final minute of a game to win.
Orlando was a stronghold of minor-league ice hockey throughout the 1990s, being home of the Orlando Solar Bears of the now-defunct International Hockey League. Historically successful, they won the Turner Cup championship in 2001 to end the IHL's final season. In 2002, the Atlantic Coast Hockey League formed with Orlando forming one of the charter franchises, the Orlando Seals, which won their Commissioner's Cup in 2003. They moved to the World Hockey Association 2 in 2003, then the Southern Professional Hockey League in 2004. The City of Orlando revoked their lease for the present Amway Arena, forcing them to sit out the 2004-05 season. They moved to Kissimmee and became the Florida Seals in November 2004.
The Citrus Bowl is the home of the Capital One Bowl (formerly the Florida Citrus Bowl) and the Champs Sports Bowl (formerly the Tangerine Bowl). It also hosts regular-season football games for Jones High School, as well as the annual Florida Classic played between the NCAA Division I-AA Football teams from Florida A&M University and Bethune-Cookman College. The University of Central Florida (NCAA Division I-A) played regular season games at the Citrus bowl through the 2006 season, until the construction of a new stadium on the UCF campus. It hosted soccer games for the FIFA World Cup '94 and the 1996 Summer Olympics when each were hosted by the United States.
The Orlando Renegades were a USFL team playing at the Citrus Bowl in 1985. They folded with the league in 1986. The Orlando Thunder were a charter team in the World League of American Football in 1991 and 1992. They lost the World Bowl to the Sacramento Surge in 1992. Like all other American teams, it was dropped in the World League reorganization of 1995. The Orlando Rage were a member of the XFL that played at the Citrus Bowl, and only played in 2001. That team has since been revived in the minor-league Southern States Football League (SSFL).
The Citrus Bowl was also the home of the fictional NFL team, the Orlando Breakers, which was featured in the last two seasons of the television sitcom Coach. The team was a plot device to reflect the 1995 addition of the Jacksonville Jaguars to the real-life NFL.
Orlando will gain an expansion franchise in the Major Indoor Soccer League, named the Orlando Sharks, for the 2007 - 2008 season. Orlando also received an expansion franchise in the American Basketball Association for the 2006-07 season, the Orlando Aces. The team has been named the Orlando Aces. The Orlando Lions were a member of the third incarnation of the American Soccer League in the late 1980s/early 1990s. The Orlando Sundogs were a minor-league soccer team in the A-League that played in the Citrus Bowl. They were disbanded in 1997 after only playing one year. Presently, two lower-division association football(soccer) teams call Orlando home: the Premier Development League's (PDL) Central Florida Kraze, and Ajax Orlando. The Kraze won the PDL Championship in 2004, while Ajax (pronounced EYE-acks) is the only American subsidiary of global soccer power Ajax Amsterdam of the Dutch Eredivisie (professional soccer league).
Tinker Field, named for baseball hall-of-famer Joe Tinker, is a historic baseball stadium next to the Citrus Bowl, currently out of use. It was formerly the spring training home of the Minnesota Twins (and the Washington Nationals/Senators before them) and AA Southern League affiliates of the Twins, Chicago Cubs and Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
The Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex has the Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports (Cracker Jack Stadium) situated in it, it is the baseball stadium that is currently used in Orlando. The spring training home of the Atlanta Braves, it played host to the games of the Pool D teams in the 2006 World Baseball Classic.
Serious talk has been made on bringing Major League Baseball to Orlando. Current mayor Buddy Dyer said he would like to see it in the future. Orlando was a finalist city in the expansion for the 1993 season. Ironically, they were mentioned as a possible destination for one of the 1993 expansion teams, the Florida Marlins, during that team's investigation of new locations should Miami fail to build them a new baseball stadium. In addition, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays are hoping to play a series at Disney's Wide World of Sports during the 2007 season.
In 2006, Mirabilis Ventures, an Orlando-based equity firm, was reportedly close to buying the Class-AA West Tenn Diamond Jaxx with the intention of bringing the team to Orlando after the last two years of the team's current lease in Jackson, Tennessee elapsed. However, plans fell through when the firm could not come to an agreement with the city for a new stadium.[8]
TNA Wrestling has its TNA iMPACT! professional wrestling show at the Universal Studios in Orlando. It also holds most of its PPV events from there as well.
In the past, Orlando hosted the Royal Rumble in 1990 and Armageddon in 2003, as well as WCW's Bash at the Beach in 1994.
Media Newspapers† = Available in HD Radio; all stations add a -1 (example 107.7-1) unless otherwise noted.
Orlando has eleven sister cities:[9]
Seine-et-Marne, Anahiem, and Urayasu are connected to Orlando as homes of other Disney theme parks (Disneyland Resort Paris, Disneyland Resort, and Tokyo Disneyland, respectively).
Seine-et-Marne Départment gave Orlando a 1:13 scale model of the Eiffel Tower that now sits in the France area of the World Showcase at Epcot. It is made of copper just like the original, but additionally painted in copper paint. Since the France area is supposed to represent Paris at the end of the 19th century, the paint keeps the tower at Epcot from oxidizing into the typical green color of the original Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty, also copper.
Foreign ConsulatesDue to its importance as a major international tourist destination and a large foreign population, many foreign governments have opened up consulates in Orlando:
