CITY OF ORLANDO
Orlando is one of the world's premier travel destinations. More than 35-million people visit our area every year, enjoying the many attractions, beaches, and events that make Central Florida a great place to visit and live.
Of course Orlando is home to Walt Disney World. It is the dream destination of every young child, the first stop on a Super Bowl champion's victory tour. It conjures up images of azure swimming pools, life-size cartoon characters and a fantasy castle where dreams come true. And it has made the young city of Orlando the world's most popular vacation spot.
But while Disney is the centerpiece of Orlando's appeal, the City Beautiful offers more than just theme parks. Summer rainstorms and a warm climate promote lush vegetation. Pines, palms and oaks draped with Spanish moss line the streets, and landscaped gardens display many varieties of flowers.
The perennial boomtown is well on its way to becoming a major international city. The Orlando International Airport has undergone a series of renovations and expansions that have made it an important transportation center. The Orlando Arena (renamed T.D. Waterhouse Centre in 2000) opened in 1989, mainly to serve as home court for the city's popular NBA team, the Orlando Magic. The area also has attracted new businesses, even as others like Lockheed Martin began to downsize. |
