ORLANDO, Fla. — Construction is underway on the massive renovation of Camping World Stadium, but the stadium itself isn’t the only thing changing in the area.
The City of Orlando has expanded the boundaries of its Downtown Community Redevelopment Area, adding roughly 20 acres surrounding the stadium.
That change could eventually allow Community Redevelopment Agency, or CRA, money to be used in the area, creating a new source of public funding for future improvements around the stadium.
And that is raising questions about what happens next for the neighborhoods that have historically relied on CRA investment, including Parramore.
Two different pots of public money
The stadium renovation is a roughly $400 million project funded with Tourist Development Tax dollars, money collected from visitors staying in Orange County hotels.
The county has described the stadium investment as part of a broader strategy to attract major sporting events and generate economic activity. Orange County reported that Tourist Development Tax collections reached a record $384 million in 2025.
The stadium renovation is expected to continue into 2027.
But CRA money comes from a different source.
Community Redevelopment Areas are designed to finance redevelopment and improvements within designated boundaries. Once property is included in a CRA, increases in property tax revenue generated within the area can help fund projects within that district.
The city’s Downtown CRA already covers a large portion of downtown and Parramore.
Now, the boundaries also encompass the land around Camping World Stadium, which is owned by the city.
Why expand the CRA?
David Barilla, executive director of Orlando’s Downtown Development Board and Community Redevelopment Agency, told Channel 9 the stadium itself was previously inside the CRA, but much of the surrounding area was not.
“We know that there’s a lot more opportunity in that area,” Barilla said, describing the goal of creating a more vibrant area around the stadium.
The expansion adds roughly 18 to 20 acres, according to the city.
Barilla said the newly included property is publicly owned, meaning the city does not expect a significant loss of existing property tax revenue from adding the land to the CRA.
He also emphasized that there are no specific CRA projects currently planned for the newly expanded stadium area.
But that could change.
If future projects meet CRA requirements and funding is available, CRA dollars could potentially be used for improvements in the area.
That could include sidewalks, streetscapes, public spaces, maintenance, safety initiatives, and other redevelopment projects.
The timing is significant because the stadium sits next to Parramore, one of Orlando’s historically Black neighborhoods that has undergone major redevelopment in recent years.
The city continues to identify affordable housing and neighborhood investment as priorities in Parramore. Its current capital plan includes millions of dollars for Parramore housing initiatives over the next several years.
The CRA also recently announced another phase of its affordable-homeownership program in Parramore, with three homes made available to buyers in 2026 and down-payment assistance of up to $155,000 for qualifying buyers.
But several Parramore-area residents who spoke with Channel 9 off-camera expressed concern that public investment could increasingly shift toward the stadium and entertainment district.
Channel 9 asked Barilla how the city measures whether major developments are actually benefiting longtime Parramore residents, including through affordable housing and employment opportunities.
Barilla pointed to agreements with developers and businesses that include community commitments.
But when asked whether the city tracks whether companies are fulfilling employment-related commitments to ensure local residents benefit, Barilla said the city’s agreements focus on specific obligations, including affordable housing.
“We do track,” Barilla said, pointing to the city’s agreement involving affordable housing and developments such as Amelia Court and the planned Beacon project.
The Beacon at Creative Village is expected to bring 115 mixed-income apartments to Parramore.
For now, the city says there is no specific CRA project or dollar amount earmarked for the newly added stadium-area acreage.
That means the expansion does not automatically translate into a new stadium-area spending plan.
But it does change what could be possible in the future.
Meanwhile, construction is already underway on the stadium renovation, and the city is advancing other major downtown projects funded through the CRA.
The city recently began work on the first phase of its Church Street Festival Street project, a CRA-backed effort designed to create a more pedestrian-focused corridor for events, businesses, and outdoor activity. The project has a $5.2 million budget.
And another $30 million CRA project, The Canopy, is expected to begin construction in downtown Orlando this fall.
So the question surrounding Camping World Stadium isn’t necessarily whether public money will be invested in it.
It’s which money will be used, what will it pay for, and who will benefit from the investment.
For residents living next door to the stadium, those decisions could help determine whether the next phase of redevelopment creates opportunities for the surrounding neighborhoods or primarily creates a bigger destination for visitors.
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