Citrus Bowl renovations reach milestone

ORLANDO, Fla. — Construction on the Citrus Bowl reached a milestone Wednesday.

The $200 million project is halfway complete, and Wednesday, city and county leaders got together to celebrate.

Officials said the project is at the halfway point and it will be game ready for the Florida Classic in November.

Following a news conference, city officials and crews who have worked on the project signed a concrete beam to commemorate the milestone.

Later, it was lifted and placed into the lower seating section.

Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs couldn’t believe the progress when she stepped into the Citrus Bowl.

“When I walked in, I was like, ‘Wow,’” Jacobs said. “(It’s) just a whole different perspective. Seeing this, seeing how phenomenal, how large it is, and how cool it is going to be. It’s really exciting.”

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said the remodeled Citrus Bowl will help Orlando maintain its place as one of the top bowl venues.

“Having a quality facility to play those games in is meaningful. Bringing in fans from Michigan and Georgia, and from around the country in a stadium,” Dyer said.

Officials said 90 percent of the stadium will be brand new.

Officials said it's the closest thing to getting a brand new stadium, and once complete, it will open new doors for central Florida.

WFTV