Six in for Camping World Stadium upgrade

Image: Orlando Venues

The shortlist of potential architects to design the renovations for Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida has been whittled down to six.

Sports Business Journal said the committee overseeing Camping World Stadium’s $400 million renovation project has shortlisted the six architecture firms for interviews in early October.

The city of Orlando’s Chief Venues Officer, Allen Johnson said DLR, OSports/AECOM, HKS, HNTB, TVS, and Populous are the six firms that are still in the running to oversee the renovation design.

The job to design $400 million in upgrades to Camping World Stadium drew 10 responses from architects, among the initial steps to complete a makeover that’s spanned about 20 years in length, according to Johnson.

HNTB designed the last two major renovations at the Orlando stadium, in 2014 and 2020 that reformed the lower bowl and introduced new sideline clubs, among other retrofits.

The 63,000-capacity Camping World Stadium is a stadium in Orlando, Florida (US), located in the West Lakes neighborhood of Downtown Orlando.

The design process will take 10 to 12 months to complete. Construction is targeted for early 2026 with the renovations completed in time for the 2027 college football season.

About $300 million will be spent to replace the upper deck, the oldest part of the stadium that was constructed in the 1990s, prior to the most recent upgrades.

A new suite tower will be constructed in the north end zone, plus existing suites that were built in 2014 will be updated.

There will be new concession spaces and restrooms, improved gate entrances and exits and updated infrastructure systems at the 88-year-old building.

The project includes building a 100,000-square-foot multipurpose indoor event space attached to the stadium that could be used for tailgating prior to football games and host volleyball tournaments in Orlando.

Camping World Stadium capacity would increase to 65,000 seats over its current 63,000-seat makeup.

SBJ further stated that the Camping World Stadium project is gathering pace with a program manager — Turner & Townsend Heery — selected by the city’s procurement officer earlier this month.

TTH still needs to agree a contract with the city for that role. The city of Orlando owns the stadium, while Florida Citrus Sports (which puts on the Citrus Bowl, among other events) is the venue’s tenant, controlling the naming rights, corporate partnerships, and premium seating revenue.

The goal has been for this third round of Camping World Stadium renovations to commence in 2025 and be completed by late summer 2027.

That would leave open the possibility that the venue could host the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars during the 2027 NFL season as they complete their own $1.4 billion renovation of Everbank Stadium that year.

The University of Florida’s stadium in Gainesville is also reportedly a possibility for the Jaguars in 2027.

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