Amway Center Wins ‘Facility of the Year’ at Sports Business Awards

At a sports industry annual awards ceremony this evening, the Amway Center was named “Facility of the Year.”

The announcement was made by Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Journal and SportsBusiness Daily at the prestigious Sports Business Awards in New York City, which annually recognizes excellence and outstanding achievement in the business of sports.

“We are extremely honored and humbled that Amway Center has been named as the best sports facility in the nation for 2012,” said Orlando Magic Chief Executive Officer Alex Martins, who was on-hand to accept the award.  “The judges have recognized that the facility has been designed and operated with the patron in mind first. We thank Street and Smith’s for this honor and congratulate all of the other very worthy finalists on the success of their facility.”

The Orlando Magic served as the developer of the new Amway Center.

Opened in the fall of 2010, the Amway Center was designed to reflect the character of the Central Florida community, meet the goals of the users and build on the legacy of sports and entertainment in Orlando.

The building’s exterior features a modern blend of glass and metal materials, along with ever-changing graphics via a monumental wall along one façade. A 180-foot tall tower serves as a beacon amid the downtown skyline.

At 875,000 square feet, the new arena is almost triple the size of the old Amway Arena (367,000 square feet). The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certified building features a sustainable, environmentally-friendly design and unmatched technology, including 1,100 digital monitors, the tallest high-definition video board in an NBA venue and multiple premium amenities available to all patrons in the building.

“To have the Amway Center recognized as the “Sports Facility of the Year” is a testament to the vision, tireless support and triumphant spirit of the Orlando community,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. “Receiving this coveted award is not only incredibly gratifying but further proof that teamwork makes it all possible.”  

Orlando’s NBA franchise since 1989, the Magic’s mission is to be world champions on and off the court, delivering legendary moments every step of the way.

On the court, Orlando has won five division championships (1995, 1996, 2008, 2009, 2010), had seven 50-plus win seasons, and won the Eastern Conference title in 1995 and 2009.  Off the court, on an annual basis, the Orlando Magic gives more than $2 million to the local community by way of sponsorships of events, donated tickets, autographed merchandise, scholarships and grants.

Orlando Magic community relations programs impact an estimated 75,000 kids each year, while a Magic staff-wide initiative provides more than 6,000 volunteer hours annually. In addition, over the last 22 years more than $17 million has been distributed to local non-profit community organizations via the Orlando Magic Youth Fund (OMYF-MFF), a McCormick Foundation Fund since 1994, which serves at-risk youth.