Citrus Bowl makes goal, thanks hard hat heroes

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Jim Carchidi

More than 3,000 workers gathered for lunch and a big thank you for their efforts on the Citrus Bowl rebuild.

Jim Carchidi

Photojournalist- Orlando Business Journal

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Of all the teams that will score a goal at the new Citrus Bowl Stadium — at least until Orlando City Soccer's new stadium gets built — only one can say it literally made a goal.

As the Nov. 19 ribbon-cutting approaches, more than 3,000 workers gathered for the Hard Hat Heroes Luncheon event at the north end of Orlando's newest sports venue. Mayor Buddy Dyer joined city officials and Citrus Sports representatives to recognize the past 10 months of hard work on the $207.7 million project. "It's the best stadium in the country that doesn't host an NFL team," Dyer said.

The Citrus Bowl joins the newly completed Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and Orlando City Soccer Club's upcoming Major League Soccer stadium in setting a new place for Orlando in the worldwide sports business marketplace. State of the art amenities, new stairways and escalators, and new seating surrounded the afternoon event crowd at the Citrus Bowl. The first fans and players to make use of it all will be at the Florida Classic on Nov. 22. But before the storied rivalry between Florida A&M University and Bethune-Cookman College can take place, one or two important accessories needed tending to.

As workers and officials gathered in the shadow of the stadium's new scoreboard, a small number of workers erected the stadium's first goal post. One of many big scores of the new Citrus Bowl era.

Check out the slideshow for a look inside the event and stay tuned to OrlandoBusinessJournal.com for more coverage leading up to the Citrus Bowl's grand opening.