Today is "Official World Smile Day", and there's a lot to smile about here in Central Florida. Early this morning the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) set out to break the record for the World's Largest Smiley Face - and they succeeded! Over 500 people helped smash the previous record when they gathered on the rooftop of the new Amway Center parking garage to don colorful rain ponchos and their brightest smiles. The promotion is part of the CVB's global marketing campaign, "Orlando Makes Me Smile," and is the culmination of their World Smile Search program that began in April of this year.
The smiles got even broader later in the morning, as an estimated 3,000 people turned out for the grand opening of the new Amway Center in downtown Orlando, complete with fireworks. As well as serving as home to our Orlando Magic, new venue is notable for its environmental friendliness and its technological advances. At 875,000 square feet, the new arena is almost triple the size of the old Amway Arena. It features 1,100 digital monitors and the largest high-definition scoreboard in an NBA venue, as well as multiple premium amenities that will be available to all patrons in the building.
Welcoming remarks were provided by Orlando Magic CEO and Vice Chairman Bob Vander Weide, Orlando Magic President (and EDC Vice Chair) Alex Martins, Orange County Mayor Richard T. Crotty and Candace Matthews of Amway. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer also delivered his "State of Downtown" address, focusing on the vision for all three community venues. Click here to see the intro to his State of Downtown address. With this advanced facility now open, Orlando is poised to compete for premier sport, concert and other entertainment events that will attract new spending into our community, as well as serve as a enhancement to business attraction and retention. Mayor Dyer reminded us of the economic development value of such venues, quoting Dr. John Reed, CEO of Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, who cited the community venues as one reason Burnham chose Orlando.
That's the kind of economic engine that makes us smile!
