ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
 
Entrance to ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, 2010
|
|
| Location | Walt Disney World Resort, Bay Lake, Florida, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 28°20′13.5″N 81°33′21.6″W / 28.337083°N 81.556000°WCoordinates: 28°20′13.5″N 81°33′21.6″W / 28.337083°N 81.556000°W |
| Owner |
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts (The Walt Disney Company) |
| Operator | Disney Sports Enterprises |
| Opened | March 28, 1997 |
| Tenants | |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
The ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex is a 220 acres (89 ha) athletic complex located in the Walt Disney World Resort, in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando, Florida. The complex includes 9 venues and hosts numerous amateur and professional sporting events throughout the year. It was known as Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex from 1997 until 2010 when it was re-branded with the Disney-owned ESPN brand. The rebranding was unveiled on February 25, 2010. It served as the home of the Orlando City Soccer Club for the 2014 season.
Disney built the US$100 million facility on former wetlands under the direction of Disney Vice President Reggie Williams. The venue opened in March 1997 with an exhibition baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds. Initial tenants were Braves, the Harlem Globetrotters, NFL Experience, the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships and Amateur Athletic Union.
On May 13, 2008, The Walt Disney Company announced plans to rebrand Disney's Wide World of Sports using the ESPN brand. On November 5, 2009, Disney announced that the complex would be renamed "ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex". The rebranding was officially unveiled during Disney's ESPN the Weekend festivities. The complex received a massive upgrade including the installation of HD video scoreboards at several of the venues, a new complex-wide audio system, and an HD broadcast production facility.
The current admission price for ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex is $17.50 for adults and $12.50 for children ages 3–9. Some events, particularly those at Champion Stadium, HP Field House, and Jostens Center, may require higher ticket fees, but still permit entry to the complex as a whole. A ticket is required to eat at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill. The Clubhouse Gift Shop can be accessed without paying for entry to the complex.
...
Wikipedia