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Camping World Stadium just wrapped a $200 million renovation, now a $60 million one is coming

ORLANDO, Fla. — A $60 million upgrade is coming to Camping World Stadium just four years after completing a $200 million renovation.

The upgrades will be paid for with public money, using tourism "bed tax dollars" to finish the job.

Guests will soon see changes to bathrooms, seating, concession and parking lots.

“It rains a lot here in Florida and several of these lots are fairly muddy,” said Florida Citrus Sports Executive Director Steve Hogan.

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The stadium underwent a $200 million upgrade that was just completed in 2014. In 2007, as the recession was starting, construction on the Citrus Bowl, as it was called at the time, was supposed to begin in 2010. As the recession worsened, leaders trimmed $20 million worth of projects from the budget.

“Today we have the ability to go back in and add what we would’ve liked to do the first time,” said Hogan.

Part of that includes updating parts of the building built prior to the 2014 project, which didn’t address much of the existing building. In fact, many of the amenities on the terrace level haven’t been touched in nearly 30 years.

Below, from the WFTV archives, pictures show how much the stadium has changed in 30 years, with thousands of seats added.

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“We want all the concessions (at the terrace level) and bathrooms and waterproofing to be brought up to what the rest of the stadium is able to meet,” said Hogan.

One level down, the stadium’s open-air clubs will be enclosed, temporary concessions will be replaced, and bathrooms will be added.

But one of the most visible updates will be closing a gap in seating at the north end zone, which will diversify seating options and ticket price points.

Below: Artist renderings of some of the proposed changes coming to Camping World Stadium:

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“It helps us finish the job from the original construction and get us to be a little bit more competitive with those NFL buildings we compete with,” said Hogan, who added that the upgrades are vital to attract major events that are eyeing Orlando.

But, Hogan admits, the work could have been done for less the first time.

“It just wasn’t in the cards,” Hogan said.

The construction itself wouldn’t be completed until 2019 or 2020.

 
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