2021 State of Downtown
December 13, 2021
Exploria Stadium
Watch the video
DTO Together
Good afternoon and welcome to our annual State of Downtown event!
Notice that when I say “annual” I’m using huge air quotes.
That’s because it has been more than two years since we’ve gathered for this event.
Over these many months, we made the right and responsible choice to pause our large, in-person City events.
But, today we are back... WE ARE VAXED... and we are excited... to be together once again!
---
First, in all sincerity, THANK YOU for getting vaccinated and protecting one another.
That’s why we can gather here today.
Before we get to our program... I’d like to say a few words about the power of togetherness.
This is the State of Downtown event.
When most of us hear “Downtown Orlando,” we think about places...
Our skyline... Lake Eola... Watching a Magic game at the Amway Center... Church Street... the UCF/Valencia Campus... your favorite restaurant... maybe THIS Soccer Stadium!
But, here’s the thing.
Buildings and iconic landmarks might be a physical representation of what a downtown is... but the soul of a downtown is about being TOGETHER.
The soul of a downtown is about the unique experiences that can only be created when we are TOGETHER.
The soul of a downtown is about the memories we make TOGETHER.
Unfortunately, for the last two years... a little piece of our soul has been missing.
So, how about we pause for a moment and celebrate the simple fact that we are together in our beloved Downtown Orlando!
---
For almost 20 years, State of Downtown has served as a platform to celebrate our shared successes... establish goals for the upcoming year... and continue to refine our vision for a vibrant, diverse and prosperous downtown.
The last two years have been unlike any in our Downtown’s history.
So many of our neighbors have spent every day fighting to make sure their businesses survive.
Other workers still haven’t returned full-time to Downtown.
Still, others are trying to figure out what the future holds as our City, our state and our country, struggles with questions about the workforce... the economy... inflation... the supply chain... and on and on.
As part of all that... the pandemic has ushered in a realignment of how people live and work... and how companies locate, expand... and do business.
It makes sense that if much of our lives and economy are in flux... then so is the state of our Downtown.
But... being in flux is not the same as being in trouble.
Because of the work we’ve done together, Downtown Orlando is well positioned to take advantage of these new dynamics.
That’s the focus of today’s program...
Where Downtown is right now and where we’re headed... what are the challenges in front of us... what are the opportunities... and why we’ve got so much to be excited about.
The format for today’s event is going to be a little different than in past years.
Rather than a formal policy speech, we’re going to do something more personal.
We are going to do the embodiment of what it means to be TOGETHER.
We’re going to have a “Town Hall” style meeting.
We want to hear from you... your questions, your concerns and your constructive criticism...emphasis on constructive.
What reasons do you have to celebrate... what challenges are impacting you?
In terms of organization, we’re going to have five distinct conversations that cover five different topic areas:
1. Development
2. Business Growth
3. Downtown Amenities
4. Housing & Homelessness
5. Mobility
Feel free to take some time and come up with great questions.
I’m so excited to have these conversations and hear from you!
Our staff members have microphones at the ready so everyone can hear your questions.
---
Our first topic... Development in Downtown Orlando.
We have to start with Creative Village.
We’ve spent the last 15 years making progress in redeveloping 68 acres into the most robust educational ecosystem in the state of Florida... infused with a mix of places to live and work.
Our vision has sprung to life in the last two years.
We’re going to hear a lot today about what’s happening in Creative Village because it touches all of our topic areas... affordable housing, arts and culture, public space and mobility.
Add to that... the incredible development that’s occurring throughout our downtown... and at AdventHealth and Orlando Health that flank Downtown.
Here’s an important fact.
Historically... Downtown Orlando has added one major office building every ten years.
Right now, we’re on pace to shatter that record.
Two office towers were just completed.... and two more are getting ready to start construction - at Church Street and at Creative Village.
In total, we’ve got more than 5.7 billion dollars in projects proposed or under construction.
That means... development did not slow down during the pandemic... it actually sped up.
So, what do you want to know about development in downtown?
Turn your attention to the screens and I’ll take your questions after the video.
---
Let’s move on to our second discussion topic... Business Activity and Small Businesses in Downtown Orlando.
The last time we gathered for this event, we announced that Electronic Arts was coming Downtown and building a state-of-the-art office for 1,000 employees.
Just two short years later... EA’s new Orlando Studio is complete.
EA is a great example of our shared plan to ensure Downtown Orlando is the regional hub for high wage, high value careers of the future.
Livability, mobility and accessibility are many of the reasons businesses like EA are choosing Downtown.
The same is true for Assured-Partners which relocated its global headquarters... and Sonesta International Hotels... which opened a new Shared Services Center in downtown.
And, both of these companies are employing residents at salaries in excess of 85-thousand dollars a year.
Of course, business in Downtown Orlando doesn’t just mean corporate headquarters or big brands.
Our locally-owned and beloved small businesses - like those in our Main Streets and in Parramore – are vital to our future.
They’re what makes our urban core a truly special space.
As Mayor, I get to participate in a lot of ribbon cuttings.
Honestly, I can’t remember when I participated in as many as we did in the past year.
We’ve welcomed new businesses like Dexter’s Birdland... The Monroe... The 808... Mecato’s Bakery... Haos on Church … Blue Swan Boulders... and Eat the Frog.
We’ve cut the ribbon on the new AC by Marriott... the Hilton and Home 2 Suites... and celebrated the opening of new class-A office space at the SunTrust Tower.
Continuing to develop a diverse business ecosystem is how we attract and retain employers... and how we attract and retain talent.
It’s how we continue to build a resilient downtown that’s an engine for shared prosperity.
---
Let’s move on to our third discussion topic... Our Downtown Amenities: the Arts, Events, Community Venues and Green Space!
We just talked about why having a unique ecosystem of businesses is important for our future.
We also know those businesses and their workforce demand a wide array of leisure offerings.
That’s why we initially invested in our “community venues” -- the Amway Center, Camping World Stadium and Dr. Phillips Center.
And, we’re excited to announce the final theater – Steinmetz Hall will open next month!
With our venues we’ve proudly declared there isn’t an event that Downtown can’t host.
We are putting that declaration to the test... as we pursue massive global events such as World Cup and World Pride.
We’ve got a stacked slate of major events coming... including Billy Joel and Garth Brooks, both at Camping World Stadium for their only Florida shows.
We host three bowl games – including the Cure Bowl, which is in this stadium.
We're having a banner year for non-sporting events and family shows at the Amway Center and Camping World Stadium.
Our previous record is 43 shows in a single year.
We've already surpassed that and are on pace to shatter that record by 50 percent.
But, to fulfill our shared vision for DTO, we must continue to infuse Downtown with even more cultural and arts amenities.
Together with our partners we’re planning for the Holocaust Museum and the National Pulse Memorial and Museum.
We’re also redefining what it means to be a community venue.
Through investments in Art-squared... Luminary Green at Creative Village... and the Under-I... we are adding new, unique public spaces to our list of venues.
These shared spaces... and green spaces are magnets for residents and visitors.
They provide great platforms for homegrown events such as Immerse and Fusion Fest... all the way to family picnics... or iconic spots where students take their graduation pictures.
This is going to be a fun discussion... what amenities and events do you want to see in Orlando?
---
Our fourth topic... is Housing and the ongoing challenge of Homelessness.
We’ve talked about progress in downtown amid historic challenges.
The reality is that many of the challenges that existed prior to 2020 remain, and some have been exacerbated by the pandemic.
This includes the availability of housing for residents at all income levels.
Our downtown must be a downtown for EVERYONE.
That means every person... regardless of their economic status... has access to quality housing they can afford.... and can share in everything that makes living here so special.
That’s why the city has invested more than 21 million dollars into affordable housing in Downtown.
This investment has yielded roughly a quarter billion dollars in private investment... and led to the construction of new apartments and homes and the rehabilitation of existing rental units.
In total since 2017... we have helped build or rehabilitate more than 1,000 units of affordable housing in downtown.
This includes increasing our inventory of permanent supportive housing to provide a home for those who previously experienced homelessness.
Using the housing-first model, our goal is to connect our most vulnerable neighbors with a permanent home.
We want every resident to have access to a safe place to sleep and their basic needs of clothing, food and hygiene met.
That’s why the city invests four million dollars each year to nearly 20 partner agencies for programs that support those who are experiencing homelessness.
Fighting homelessness is not simple or easy.
But, we cannot waiver.
Our region is known for using the power of partnership to solve complex challenges.
And... collaboration is the key to overcoming the challenge of homelessness.
---
Our fifth and final discussion topic... is Mobility.
When you think about great cities what comes to mind?
Perhaps it’s the ease and options of getting where you want to go...
From meeting to meeting... from museum to park... from home to work... from one cool neighborhood to the next for shopping and dining.
Transportation is our final focus area today.
As you can see, it connects to every other focus area we’ve talked about.
It is literally that connection between development efforts... businesses... events and cultural amenities.
As the economic and cultural hub for our region, our Downtown must connect our urban core to the rest of the region, the airport and the entire state.
As a Central Florida community, we’ve made great strides in expanding these connections...
By the end of this year the I-4 Ultimate will be complete.
And, next year Brightline begins service to Orlando, providing high speed rail options from Miami to Orlando.
Here, in our urban core, we’ve increased mobility options...
Through a partnership with Lynx and OUC, our downtown bus circulator LYMMO, is now more efficient, operating with electric battery power.
Our electric scooter system has seen more than a million scooter trips with one quarter replacing car trips.
And next month we’ll start construction on the Downtown Connector trail and close the largest gap in our Downtown Loop, providing another safe route for pedestrians and bicyclists.
And as our Downtown continues to grow, our transportation infrastructure will need to grow, too.
That’s why we’re launching a Downtown Master Planning initiative.
This is a massive undertaking that will examine how our residents and visitors travel in, out of and around our Downtown... and explore ways to enhance those corridors for every mode of traveler.
We’ll be looking at changing Orange Avenue and Magnolia Avenue into two-way corridors.
And, we’ll conduct an in-depth walking audit and identify new gateways and festival streets throughout our core.
As you can see there is a lot to talk about when it comes to transportation and continuing that work will be critical to keeping Downtown moving forward.
Closing
That’s all the time we have.
Before we transition to our reception... I want to say a few thank yous. First to my beautiful wife,
Susie, for her love and support...
As well as to my oldest son Trey who is here today.
To the members of the Orlando City Council who are here today.
Commissioner Jim Gray...
Commissioner Tony Ortiz...
Commissioner Robert Stuart...
Commissioner Patty Sheehan...
Commissioner Regina Hill...
Commissioner Bakari Burns...
Each of you represent different parts of our City... but each of those districts has a unique and equally important connection to Downtown.
So, thank you for all you do for Orlando and for our Downtown.
No Mayor in America has better partners than you, it’s a privilege to work with each of you every day.
---
We’re fortunate to have other elected officials with us today.
Please help me recognize...
- Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings
- State Representative Travaris McCurdy
- State Representative Anna Eskamani
---
UCF President Dr. Alexander Cartwright is here, let’s recognize the leadership of our hometown university!
---
So much of what we’ve accomplished together is due in large part to the hard work of our Downtown Development Board and Community Redevelopment Agency.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the DDB.
And, I am pleased to acknowledge its executive director... Mr Downtown himself... Thomas Chatmon.
We’re excited to have Thomas here and in great health.
---
We also want to thank the Downtown Orlando Partnership for its leadership... and for hosting this event.
As we heard earlier... It’s the DOP’s 60th birthday.
Here’s to another 60 years of progress and partnership in Downtown!
---
We want to recognize out hosts today... the ownership and leadership of our two hometown soccer clubs.
Orlando Pride and Orlando City owner and chairman Mark Wilf is with us, joined by his executive board and their two recently announced new leaders.
With us as well... is new Pride Head Coach Amanda Cromwell…And, new Orlando City/Orlando Pride President of Business Operations Jarrod Dillon.
Let’s all give them a warm welcome to the City Beautiful!
---
We started by talking about the importance of togetherness.
There’s a kind of magic that happens when people get together and share time with one another at an event.
I hope we’ve all experienced a little bit of that today.
But, there’s also another sort of togetherness that powers our Downtown and our entire Orlando community.
That togetherness comes from true partnership.
It’s the magic that happens when we work together... when we prioritize collaboration and compromise.
We all have different reasons and motivations for why we care so much about Downtown Orlando.
Maybe it’s the pride you feel when you see our skyline grow... or when you hear relatives up north say they heard Downtown Orlando is the place to be!
Perhaps it’s opportunity... a new career at a company that’s moving Downtown.
Maybe you’ve discovered a new favorite place to eat... or that spending time in your favorite park offers a little respite from the hectic work week.
Perhaps, your passion is helping others.
Or, you’re excited about the idea of ditching your car and using new forms of transit to get around.
Or... perhaps it’s a million other opportunities waiting to be unlocked in Downtown Orlando.
But, the point is... everyone who lives here... who works here... who learns here... who plays here... who invests here... everyone who has a connection to Downtown... has a story.
Together... those stories paint a powerful picture of the prosperous future that lies ahead for Downtown Orlando.
That picture... that mosaic of partnership... IS Downtown Orlando... TOGETHER!
---
Thank you, everyone, for being a part of Downtown... for sharing your thoughts... for your ambition and hopefulness... and for contributing to meaningful experiences just like this one.
Today, I am the happiest mayor in America.
May God bless America... our Orlando Community... and the Downtown we love so much!