Tens of thousands of Central Floridians will head to Downtown Orlando this Friday and Saturday to get a first-hand look inside the new, state-of-the-art Amway Center. As this is the first time patrons will be visiting the new Amway Center, the City of Orlando wants to ensure the community has the most up-to-date information on new traffic patterns and parking options for the new building.

Mayor Buddy Dyer’s State of Downtown Address
Friday, October 1, 2010
9:30 a.m. Community celebration begins
10:01 a.m. Ribbon Cutting ceremony followed by Mayor Buddy Dyer’s State of Downtown Address

Community Open House
Saturday, October 2, 2010
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

TEMPORARY ROAD CLOSURES:

Division Avenue from Church Street to South Street will close starting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 30 and will re-open on Saturday, October 2 at 9:30 p.m.

Church Street from Division Avenue to Hughey Avenue will close starting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 30 and will re-open on Monday, October 4 at 6 a.m.

A detailed map of the road closures and recommended routes is attached or visit cityoforlando.net.

PARKING FOR OPENING EVENTS:

Mayor Dyer’s State of Downtown Address - Friday, October 1, 2010
Complimentary parking will be provided in the GEICO and West Church Street garages, on a first come, first serve basis. Additional parking is available throughout Downtown and a detailed map of locations is attached or visit cityoforlando.net.

Community Open House - Saturday, October 2, 2010
Complimentary parking is provided from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in City of Orlando owned garages and surface lots listed below. A detailed map of locations is attached or visit cityoforlando.net.

• 55 West Garage
• Church Street Garage
• GEICO Garage
• Garland Avenue lot
• Lot 9 (ADA lot under I-4)
• Lot 10 (under I-4)
• Central Blvd Garage
• Jefferson Street Garage
• Washington Street Garage

ENHANCED LYMMO SERVICE FOR OPENING EVENTS:

LYMMO service, the free Downtown circulator, has been enhanced for the opening events, including additional buses providing service every four minutes on Friday, October 1 and Saturday, October 2. A detailed map of the LYMMO route and stops is attached or visit cityoforlando.net.

NEW DOWNTOWN TRANSPORTATION TOOLS, TECHNOLOGY AND TIPS FOR AMWAY CENTER PATRONS:

Intelligent Transportation Systems
The Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) has been expanded throughout Downtown Orlando. The ITS utilizes new technology to provide congestion and incident management. The ITS consists of a new fiber optic network, electronic message signs, traffic surveillance cameras and enhanced traffic signal controllers that are located throughout downtown.

Electronic Message Signs
Eight electronic message signs throughout Downtown and on I-4 will provide the most up-to-date information for patrons traveling to the new Amway Center. Travelers should utilize these signs for real-time information based on current traffic conditions and directions to avoid congestion.

Electronic message signs are located at the following critical decision making points to assist travelers with their transportation route:

• Along Interstate 4 near Lake Ivanhoe
• On Interstate 4 off ramps at South Street and Anderson Street
• Along Hughey Avenue
• Along Orange Avenue
• Along South Street

GEICO Garage
The GEICO garage has two entrances that patrons can utilize to access parking. The Division Avenue entrance is accessible from the Anderson exit on I-4 westbound.

West Church Street Garage
The West Church Street garage is accessible from Hughey Avenue just north of Church Street.

LYMMO Service (Regular)
LYMMO serves a two and a half mile loop connecting 21 stops in Downtown Orlando. Service is provided every four minutes during peak period and every 10 minutes during non-peak hours including evenings, weekends.

Smart-Phone Application - parkIN’
The Downtown Development Board (DDB) led efforts to develop a Smartphone application parkIN’ for the more technically savvy consumer. This application is available for iPhone, Droid and limited Blackberry users.

This application can be downloaded for free at DowntownOrlando.com and will allow users to locate all City parking spaces available near the Amway Center and determine in which garage (or surface lot) they would like to park, sort the garages by price and pre-pay for the parking space. This app will also include directions to the garage from major highways and walking directions from the parking facility to the Amway Center as well as access to LYMMO. Once you are en route, this app will sync with Google Maps to provide real-time traffic information. In addition, parkIN’ is designed to provide feedback to the City regarding the users’ experience so that we may provide improved customer service.

New, Improved Parking Web-Site
The City has developed a user-friendly parking and transportation website at CityofOrlando.net. This site allows users to locate all City parking spaces available near the Amway Center and determine in which garage (or surface lot) they would like to park. Now, for the first time, users can pre-pay on-line at the City’s website for pre-determined parking spots in City Parking Garages for one or multiple events.

This website will also include: directions to the garages from major highways; walking directions from each parking facility to the Amway Center; and, access information for the LYMMO. All transportation information will be posted at CityofOrlando.net and linked to AmwayCenter.com, DowntownOrlando.com, and OrlandoMagic.com to ensure shared information for users of any of the four sites.

ABOUT THE AMWAY CENTER:
The Orlando Magic is the developer of the Amway Center which will compete to host major national events, concerts and family shows. Opened in the fall of 2010, the facility is owned and operated by the City of Orlando on behalf of the Central Florida Community. The Amway Center was designed to reflect the character of the community, meet the goals of the users and build on the legacy of sports and entertainment in Orlando. The building’s exterior features a modern blend of glass and metal materials, along with ever-changing graphics via a monumental wall along one façade. A 180-foot tall tower will serve as a beacon amid the downtown skyline. At 875,000 square feet, the new arena is almost triple the size of the old Amway Arena (367,000 square feet).The building features a sustainable, environmentally-friendly design and unmatched technology featuring 1,100 digital monitors and the tallest high-definition scoreboard in an NBA venue, and multiple premium amenities available to all patrons in the building. Every level of ticket buyer will have access to: the Budweiser Baseline Bar and Food Court, Club Restaurant, Nutrilite Magic Fan Experience and Orlando On Demand Info Garden, Gentleman Jack Terrace, Kid’s Zone and multiple indoor-outdoor spaces which celebrate Florida’s climate.

Attachments:

Street closure map.pdf
Enhanced Lymmo Service.pdf
Open House Parking Map.pdf
State of Downtown Parking Map.pdf