Orlando officials have in hand three proposals for the future of Amway Arena, the soon-to-be future home of the Orlando Magic (NBA), and the surrounding area, including one pitch to convert the facility to a mega-church.
Of course, turning arenas into mega-churches is nothing new: Houston’s Compaq Center, once the home to the Houston Rockets (NBA), is now a mega-church headed by Joel Osteen. Under the proposal submitted by Winter Park’s Rev. Robert Dunlap, the arena would be converted to a 20,000-seat church, with the luxury boxes used for classrooms and counseling.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer solicited bids for Amway Arena and the surrounding 68-acre site, which includes a performing-arts center, a school and more. Dyer’s vision calls for converting the area into a creative-services development that would cater to businesses like television production, video gaming, music and more.
The three bids are still under seal until they are reviewed by the city.
