ORLANDO, Fla. – The group working to bring Major League Baseball to Orlando is asking Orange County to use tourist tax revenue to help fund a new stadium — and it’s releasing new numbers to make the case.
The Orlando Dreamers published updated economic impact data Wednesday, projecting that a domed stadium on International Drive would generate more than 38,000 construction jobs and more than 52,000 permanent jobs.
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The group said the project’s economic impact over 30 years would exceed $72 billion, with an average of $32 million in additional annual Tourist Development Tax revenue for the county.
The Dreamers said they have more than $2 billion in combined funding in place for team acquisition and stadium financing. But they’re also asking a newly formed Citizens Advisory Task Force to direct millions more in tourist tax dollars toward construction costs.
What the Dreamers are promising Orange County
Beyond jobs and tax revenue, the group says it plans to use team and stadium revenue to fund transportation and workforce housing initiatives. It also plans to build lighted youth baseball and softball fields throughout the county.
The updated economic figures come from JLL, the same independent consulting firm that completed the Dreamers’ initial study in 2023.
In a news release, baseball Hall-of-Famer and Dreamers MLB Ambassador Barry Larkin said the group is financially ready.
“The Dreamers are financially ready from our side, having in place in excess of $2 billion combined for team acquisition and stadium financing,” Larkin said. “Now we need our local elected officials to make a statement to Major League Baseball that Orlando is ready to be a major league city.”
Task force meets next week
The Tourist Development Tax Citizen Advisory Task Force, which will review and make recommendations on the use of future tourist tax revenues, holds its first meeting on Tuesday. The Dreamers said they plan to present further details to the task force at that time.
The proposed 45,000-seat domed stadium would sit on a 35.5-acre site at the intersection of International Drive and State Road 528. Updated stadium renderings are expected this summer.
Orlando is currently the 15th-largest media market in the country and is projected to soon pass Detroit to become the largest market without an MLB team. The Orlando metro area welcomed nearly 80 million tourists in 2025, and Tourist Development Tax revenues have set records for 14 consecutive months, according to the Dreamers.