Local

Work on Disney Theater in downtown Orlando begins

ORLANDO, Fla. — Progress is being made at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.

The stage floor at the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center is in place after crews poured 30 trucks full of concrete Friday to build a Walt Disney theater in downtown Orlando.

"It's very exciting to have the Disney stage complete and be able to share that with everybody for the Dr. Phillips Center," said Ben Manning of Balfour Beatty Construction.

Manning is the superintendent of the project. He said now that the stage floor is poured, downtown regulars will see fast progress headed for a completion next summer.

"Getting the stage poured and the forms stripped cuts loose; a lot of work so that we can move forward with our schedule," said Manning.

The new Doctor Phillips Center for the Performing Arts has been under construction for more than a year, and the main theater is expected to attract big name talent to Orlando.

The 2,700-seat theater hosts what's being named the Walt Disney stage.

The grand opening is expected to be in the fall of 2014.