Orlando’s Bid for an MLB Team: A Look at the Orlando Dreamers’ Vision

When people think of Orlando, they often picture theme parks. These attractions have made Orlando a top global destination, attracting millions of tourists yearly. The Orlando Dreamers believe this makes the city ideal for a Major League Baseball (MLB) team.

The MLB is considering expansion, and the Orlando Dreamers hope this rapidly growing tourist hub becomes a new home for a team. While cities like Nashville and Charlotte are frequently mentioned for MLB expansion, Dreamers co-founder and COO Jim Schnorf argues that Orlando has several advantages.

“We have no Major League Baseball here. We don’t have minor league, and we don’t have spring training,” Schnorf said. “Every other competing city except one has Triple-A, and the one that doesn’t have Triple-A has Double-A. So there’s an anomalous absence of professional baseball from the Orlando market.”

Orlando is the largest media market in the U.S. that lacks an MLB presence. The tourism factor is crucial as well. Over 80 million tourists are expected to visit Orlando this year, making it the most-visited destination in the Western Hemisphere. Schnorf suggests that those doubting the role of tourism in sports success should consider Las Vegas’s model.

Las Vegas’s transition from having no major league teams to hosting them all in a decade shows how tourism supports sports. The success of the Vegas Golden Knights and the relocation of the Las Vegas Raiders highlight this point.

The Dreamers plan to develop an MLB-caliber stadium south of Orlando’s downtown, near attractions like SeaWorld and Walt Disney World. The organization released new images of the proposed stadium site near I-4.

Orlando generates the highest tourism resort tax in the U.S., which can fund tourism, sports facilities, convention centers, and more. Despite these plans, a task force reviewing stadium proposals did not recommend advancing it. Schnorf said the timing, during an election cycle and other factors, influenced this decision.

The Dreamers sought $975 million to fund the stadium. Schnorf noted that the presentation was limited to fifteen minutes, an insufficient time to cover extensive financial research. Still, the Dreamers have over $2 billion earmarked for stadium financing and team acquisition through letters of intent.

Securing a team from MLB remains a challenge. Florida already hosts two franchises, the Tampa Bay Rays and Miami Marlins, both known for low attendance. However, Schnorf references a time when California supported five teams with a lower population than Florida has now.

“Orlando is the fastest-growing metro area in the fastest-growing state in the country. We can definitely support Major League Baseball here,” Schnorf stated.