Kia Center
On the 29th of September 2006, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Orange County Mayor Richard Crotty stood before the press to announce a new arena for downtown Orlando. This agreement marked the end of nearly ten years of pressure from the Orlando Magic's ownership group. Billionaire Amway founder Richard DeVos and his son-in-law Bob Vander Weide had long argued that their old venue was obsolete. The existing Amway Arena opened in 1989 and quickly became one of the oldest facilities in the National Basketball Association. City officials and team owners finally agreed on a location at the southwest corner of Church Street and Hughey Avenue. The project carried a total price tag of $480 million when land and infrastructure costs were included. A public-private partnership structure emerged where the city would own the building while the Magic controlled planning and construction. The deal required the Magic to contribute at least $50 million in cash upfront plus any cost overruns. They also agreed to pay an annual rent of $1 million for thirty years. Financing relied heavily on bonds paid off by a hotel tax surcharge raised to 6% in 2006. The Orlando City Council approved the plan with a 6, 1 vote on the 23rd of July 2007. Final approval came from the Orange County Board of County Commissioners later that month.
Populous architects faced a difficult task mediating between elevated highways and low-rise housing near the site. The I-4 freeway bordered the east side of the property and threatened to disconnect the arena from the downtown core physically and psychologically. Architects designed a diaphanous feature tower bathed in color-changing LED lighting to anchor one corner of the building. This tower houses the Orlando Magic Team Store, hospitality space, Big Storm Brewing Company, and the Sky Lounge rooftop bar. An expansive glass entry lobby faces historic Church Street to blur the boundary between inside and outside spaces. The exterior skin combines precast concrete and aluminum to present a timeless civic quality. A large 40-foot by 60-foot LED video display sits above the highway to address downtown from an elevated position. Inside, the floor design features retractable sections specifically to permit squared end zone corners for arena football games. This layout contrasts sharply with Amway Arena where luxury boxes were suspended from the ceiling above all seats. Kia Center places mid-level luxury seats and club seating below the upper bowl instead. Five concourses average 35 feet in width compared to the single 20-foot wide concourse at the old venue. Public restrooms increased from four men's and four women's rooms to eighteen men's and nineteen women's rooms.
A unique centerhung installation manufactured by Daktronics stands as the tallest in any NBA venue today. Each of the 18 displays uses high resolution 6mm-pixel technology including two digital ring displays and four tapered corners. Approximately 360-degree digital ribbon boards surround the entire seating bowl to maximize creative programming options. These screens can show motion graphics, real-time game statistics, out-of-town scores, and closed captioning information simultaneously. Outside the building, a massive display utilizes more than 5,000 Daktronics ProPixel LED sticks each one meter long. This outdoor screen reaches millions of motorists traveling along Interstate 4 near the facility. The total square footage of the arena measures 875,000 square feet. The venue holds up to 20,000 spectators for NCAA basketball games and 18,846 for NBA matches. Concession points of sale operate at a ratio of one per 150 spectators inside the Kia Center. Retail stores number three within the facility compared to zero fixed stands at the previous Amway Arena location. The technology allows the arena to function as one of the most advanced venues globally for professional sports.
Amway exercised its right of first refusal when announcing a $40 million naming deal on the 3rd of August 2009. The company secured rights to name the new venue the Amway Center following their tenure with the old arena. This agreement ensured continuity in branding while allowing the Magic ownership group to maintain strong corporate partnerships. On the 20th of December 2023, the organization officially renamed the facility the Kia Center through a partnership with Kia America. The transition marked a significant shift in corporate sponsorship after more than fourteen years under the original name. City officials received an estimated share worth $1.75 million from naming rights sales during the first year of operation. The financing structure allowed the city to collect proceeds from all events except those hosted by the Orlando Magic. Team owners retained all ticket sales revenue specifically for Magic home games. Public-private agreements dictated that bonds would be paid off using part of the Orange County Tourist Development Tax collected as a hotel stay surcharge.
The facility hosted the 2012 NBA All-Star Game and the 2015 ECHL All-Star Game within its first few years of operation. On the 14th of January 2013, the Arena Football League's Board of Directors voted to award ArenaBowl XXVI to Orlando for summer 2013. NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament round of 64 and round of 32 games occurred in 2014, 2017, and 2023. WWE held its Royal Rumble pay-per-view event on the 24th of January 2016 at the arena. From August 21 to the 7th of December 2020, the promotion produced Raw, SmackDown, and associated pay-per-views behind closed doors. This bio-secure bubble called the WWE ThunderDome featured virtual audiences and pyrotechnic effects without in-person spectators. Five major pay-per-views including SummerSlam, Payback, Clash of Champions, Hell in a Cell, and Survivor Series took place during this residency. UFC events such as Werdum vs. Browne on the 19th of April 2014 and Thompson vs. Holland on the 3rd of December 2022 also filled the schedule. The venue hosted WrestleMania 33 festivities from April 1 to 4, 2017 with NXT TakeOver: Orlando and post-event editions of Raw and SmackDown.
Vicente Fernández performed the first ticketed concert at Kia Center on the 8th of October 2010 with Edith Márquez as special guests. Lady Gaga appeared on stage on the 15th of April 2011 and returned for another show on the 9th of May 2019. Taylor Swift played multiple dates including the 11th of June 2011 and the 11th of April 12, 2013 with support from NEEDTOBREATHE and Ed Sheeran. Local Florida artists like Pitbull, Florida Georgia Line, and Backstreet Boys have graced the stage since 2010. Ariana Grande performed three times in 2015, 2017, and 2019 while Luis Fonsi appeared in 2021. Paul McCartney delivered a historic performance on the 18th of May 19, 2013 during his world tour. Billie Eilish headlined two shows on the 10th of March 2020 and the 14th of October 2025 with Jessie Reyez as an opening act. The venue has hosted over 340 works of art including 200 museum-quality photographs curated by Sports and the Arts. Fourteen of the twenty-one artists represented in the collection come from Central Florida to highlight local culture.
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Common questions
When did the Kia Center open in Orlando Florida?
The Kia Center opened on the 29th of September 2006 after city officials and team owners agreed on a location at the southwest corner of Church Street and Hughey Avenue. The project carried a total price tag of $480 million when land and infrastructure costs were included.
Who owns the Kia Center arena in downtown Orlando?
City officials own the building while the Magic control planning and construction under a public-private partnership structure. The deal required the Magic to contribute at least $50 million in cash upfront plus any cost overruns.
What is the seating capacity of the Kia Center for NBA games?
The venue holds up to 18,846 spectators for NBA matches and up to 20,000 spectators for NCAA basketball games. Concession points of sale operate at a ratio of one per 150 spectators inside the facility.
How much does it cost to rent the Kia Center annually?
The Magic agreed to pay an annual rent of $1 million for thirty years as part of the financing agreement. Financing relied heavily on bonds paid off by a hotel tax surcharge raised to 6% in 2006.
When was the Kia Center renamed from Amway Center?
On the 20th of December 2023 the organization officially renamed the facility the Kia Center through a partnership with Kia America. This transition marked a significant shift in corporate sponsorship after more than fourteen years under the original name.