ORLANDO, Fla. — Orange County commissioners passed the final vote Tuesday to help finish the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.
Commissioners agreed to use an additional $45 million in tourist taxes for the project. It's a project that has been 13 years in the making and a decision that brought Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs to tears.
"I think that's why I'm so overwhelmed that we have this opportunity to bring to fruition what the folks standing behind me have dreamed of for not just years but literally decades," Jacobs said.
It's unanimous! Commissioners vote to spend an additional $45-million TDT to help complete the @DrPhillipsCtr. #WFTV
— Karla Ray (@KRayWFTV) November 1, 2016
The money will be used to start on phase two of the project, which is Steinmetz Hall.
Steinmetz Hall will house the the 1,700-seat Orlando Philharmonic and the Orlando Ballet.
The total cost for phase 2 will be a little more than $200 million, and the rest of that is being raised by the center.
County leaders said the additional money is needed to help ensure private donations and to prevent construction costs from going up.
The total costs of the arts center will be more than a half-billion dollars.
Jacobs pitched the idea in September to restructure debt and increase the total amount of money collected from the "bed tax" in Orange County to help pay for some of the construction.
"It will be fantastic, already fantastic, but will really complete the vision," said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer.
Cox Media Group
