Arizona Tribune - Visit Orlando Endorses the Orlando Dreamers' Mission to Bring Major League Baseball to Central Florida

ORLANDO, FL / ACCESS Newswire / May 18, 2026 / The Orlando City Baseball Dreamers, LLC ("Orlando Dreamers" or the "Dreamers") announced today that Visit Orlando, the not-for-profit trade association that brands, markets and sells the Orlando destination globally, officially endorses the Dreamers' cause of bringing Major League Baseball to Orlando.

"This is huge for us and another signal that the Orlando community supports bringing professional baseball to The City Beautiful," said Baseball Hall-of-Famer and Dreamers MLB Ambassador Barry Larkin. "We love the support from such a prestigious organization as Visit Orlando, and we need more community parters to speak up, as well. We must continue to demonstrate to leadership that Orlando is ready for Major League Baseball."

The endorsement from Visit Orlando follows a string of recent statements of support from city, county and state leaders. Orange County commissioner Michael "Mike" Scott recently reaffirmed his endorsement of the Dreamers; State Representative and City of Orlando mayoral candidate Anna Eskamani offered her wholehearted support for the Dreamers; Orange County mayor, Jerry Demings, made clear this month that he supports bringing professional baseball to Orange County while speaking at the Visit Orlando luncheon during the National Travel & Tourism Week event celebrating the fact that the Orlando area attracted a record-breaking 76.7 million visitors in 2025; and in December when the MLB Winter Meetings were in Orlando, U.S. Congressman and Florida gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds tweeted his support of Orlando as "the next great MLB city."

Dreamers co-founder and COO, Jim Schnorf, put the Visit Orlando endorsement into perspective, "Visit Orlando understands the importance of having a diverse offering of amenities and experiences available for not only the tourists who visit our fair city but also the residents who make this community one of the best places to live in America. We are grateful for the leadership from Visit Orlando who see this opportunity as not only an economic issue but also a quality-of-life issue."

The endorsement from Visit Orlando comes as tourism to Orlando continues to surge, including meaningfully increased travel resulting from the recent opening of the Epic Universe theme park located a short distance from the Dreamers' preferred stadium site. The Orlando metro area, the most-visited destination in North America, has seen 12 consecutive months of record-setting revenues from the Tourist Development Tax and is on pace to surpass $400 million in collections, eclipsing the all-time record of approximately $384.6 million dollars which was set last fiscal year.

Additionally, Orlando is experiencing a growth boom according to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The city is the number one metro area in job growth, population growth and nominal GDP growth among the 30 most-populous regions. Orlando is the #15 media market in the country, having passed Miami, Denver, and Minneapolis-St. Paul in recent years. It is anticipated that Orlando will pass Detroit soon to become the #14 media market, the largest without an MLB team.

The Orlando Dreamers previously reported that based on an independent study completed in 2023, bringing Major League Baseball to Orlando and playing in the planned domed stadium located on the 35.5 acre parcel adjacent to SeaWorld and the Orange County Convention Center will yield approximately 25,000 permanent jobs and create in excess of $40 billion dollars in economic impact to Orange County over 30 years. In addition, the study concluded that the MLB initiative would generate an additional $26 million annually in Tourist Development Taxes.

The full quote from Visit Orlando

As a destination, Orlando continues to evolve to meet the needs and interests of a diverse mix of travelers, meeting planners, and residents. Expanding the amenities and experiences available - particularly those that can serve multiple audiences - is key to maintaining our position as a leading global destination.

The addition of new venues and attractions, including those centered around professional sports, has the potential to complement our existing offerings and enhance the overall appeal of the region. Facilities that can host a variety of uses beyond their primary purpose - such as meetings, conventions, and community events - are especially valuable in supporting a dynamic and competitive tourism economy.

Projects that reflect thoughtful development, help strengthen our visitor economy, and create new ways for both visitors and residents to experience Orlando help our community and destination thrive. Therefore, Visit Orlando supports the Orlando Dreamers' efforts to bring Major League Baseball to Orange County.

About Orlando City Baseball Dreamers, LLC

Orlando City Baseball Dreamers, LLC was established to bring Major League Baseball to Orlando and Central Florida. Updates can be found at www.OrlandoDreamers.com and more information can be found at OrlandoDreamersTeamShop.com.

Contact

Andrew Herdliska
Orlando Dreamers
[email protected]

SOURCE: Orlando City Baseball Dreamers, LLC

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

T.Sanchez--AT