Orlando Magic may purchase OPD headquarters

ORLANDO, Fla. — Orlando City leaders will take another step forward in relocating the police department headquarters Monday.

City leaders want to sell the building to the Orlando Magic, because it sits next door to the Amway Center.

The Magic offered the city thousands to survey the property, which is outlined in an 11-page agreement that the council plans to discuss Monday.

The agreement outlines some of the things the Magic owners would be analyzing and why they would give the city $100,000.

The Orlando police headquarters has been a staple in downtown Orlando for 40 years, but the department could be on its way out.

"We believe the Orlando Police Department has outlived its life expectancy. It has some major issues," said Orlando Police Department Chief Paul Rooney.

At a city council workshop earlier this month, Rooney said the department needed an upgraded facility.

He said the building was now too big for their force and he wants something that's more accessible to the public.

“It's not very user-friendly,” said Rooney. “When we have to rush to emergency calls, with events, being in the heart of downtown is probably not the best place to be."

The Orlando Magic organization could look to buy the property, tear down the building and use the more than three-acre plot to build a $100 million entertainment complex.

“The arena or the new Amway, or whatever, it kind of has a very large presence and this building, I guess, now seems out of place," said resident Jen Jones.

The Magic organization has an agreement on the table that could give them time to have property surveys and appraisals done to assess the value of the more than three-acre plot.

They'd give the city a total of $100,000 for what they call the feasibility study and purchase option.

If they don't buy the property, the city could keep $50,000 and refund the other half.

The cost analysis could end up having the Magic pay more for the property to offset the city's costs of moving the police headquarters.

WFTV