ORLANDO, Fla. – The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts officially broke ground Thursday.
The festivities began at 5:30 p.m., but the official "shovel moment" took place at 7 p.m.
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The public was invited to the free celebration, which included live entertainment from renowned Broadway singer and actor, Davis Gaines, an Orlando native. There was also performances from the Orlando Ballet, Orlando Ballet School, Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orlando Repertory Theatre and the cast of the national tour of the Tony Award-winning revival of HAIR.
There will be also be an open house on June 24, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and June 25, from noon to 4 p.m.
The three-day event is funded entirely by donors.
The event will take place in an outdoor, air-conditioned tent at Magnolia Avenue, between Anderson and South Streets.
This groundbreaking is for the first phase of the project, which will include the main Disney Theater for touring Broadway shows. It will have 2,700 seats, which is about 300 more than the Bob Carr Performing Arts Center.
The first phase also includes construction of a smaller theater with 300 seats, for local groups.
The idea was first conceived more than 20 years ago when Bill Frederick was mayor, but the tourist development taxes needed to help built it.. took a hit during the recession.
The project was supposed to break ground last year, but the tourism slump caused by the recession dried up the hotel taxes that were needed to start construction.
The project could not move forward with the $16 million dollar gap.
However, last month several donors came forward and guaranteed the $16 million so that the project could move forward.
The first phase is expected to be completed in 2014.
The second phase includes construction of a music hall for symphony, opera and ballet but won't begin until more money comes in.
A third planned theater will be built sometime in the future.
That money includes a combination from the county and from donors for about $125 million.