The Orlando Dreamers, a group aiming to bring Major League Baseball to Central Florida, are making a case for the city as an ideal location for MLB expansion. Co-founder and COO Jim Schnorf highlighted Orlando's unique position as a major tourism destination with no existing professional baseball presence, distinguishing it from other cities often discussed for expansion.
Schnorf pointed to Orlando's status as one of the most visited cities globally, attracting tens of millions of tourists annually. He emphasized the significant role tourism plays in the success of professional sports, drawing parallels to the growth of sports franchises in Las Vegas. "Tourism matters immensely when it comes to the success of sports," Schnorf stated.
Orlando also represents the largest media market in the United States without a Major League Baseball team. The absence of any professional baseball, from minor league to spring training, creates what Schnorf described as an "anomalous absence of professional baseball from the Orlando market."
The Dreamers have proposed the development of a state-of-the-art stadium located near major attractions such as SeaWorld and Walt Disney World. They plan to seek funding from Orange County's tourism resort tax, which is generated by the city's robust tourism industry. Schnorf noted that Orlando generates the highest amount of tourism resort tax in the country, a portion of which can be allocated to sports facilities.
Despite these proposals, a task force created to review such projects did not recommend moving forward with the stadium proposal. Schnorf attributed this decision, in part, to the timing of the review during an election cycle and the limited time allocated for their presentation. He mentioned that the Dreamers requested $975 million for the project, a figure that was presented in a condensed 15-minute timeframe.
However, the organization has reportedly secured substantial financial backing, with "well in excess of $2 billion towards stadium financing and team acquisition in place under letters of intent," according to Schnorf.
Addressing potential concerns about Florida already having two MLB teams, the Tampa Bay Rays and Miami Marlins, Schnorf referred to historical precedents. He cited California's baseball landscape in 1969, which supported five teams with a significantly lower population than Florida has today. Schnorf expressed confidence that Orlando, as part of the fastest-growing metro area in the fastest-growing state, can support a third Major League Baseball franchise.