Diverse Grassroots Coalition Stands Against Corporate Welfare, Soccer Stadium

A diverse group is standing together to fight corporate welfare in Orange County and to stop Orlando’s attempt to spend tens of millions of dollars on a new soccer stadium, which will only further gentrify historic Parramore. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer continues to push his corporate welfare plan to fund the stadium project which will not help the community. But he can’t afford to build the stadium himself, as the city of Orlando faces continued budget shortfalls and current projects are all short on cash and running over budget.

Yesterday, the diverse coalition took the message directly to the County Commission. From the West Orlando News:

“We are here together to call on the Orange County Board of Commissioners to reject the city of Orlando and the Orlando City Soccer Team’s pleas to spend tens of millions of tax dollars on a new soccer stadium which will further gentrify historic Parramore,” said Mike Cantone, a Democrat and former Orlando Mayoral candidate, one of those who spoke out against the stadium.

Cantone also said that Orlando is maxed out and the community is over extended and cannot afford any more corporate welfare. He also noted that a series of problems have dogged Orlando Venues projects, including over-budgeting and mis-management.

“We still have debt obligations across the board and this is not the time to continue digging our community deeper in the hole,” Cantone said.

Dyer needs tens of millions of dollars from Orange County – but Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs is still taking her time and considering her options. Some County Commissioners already indicated they are against the city’s current stadium proposal, including Commissioner Fred Brummer and Commissioner Pete Clarke.

And from the Orlando Sentinel coverage:

A group ranging from Democrats to tea party faithful rallied Tuesday to oppose tens of millions in public tax dollars going toward a new soccer stadium plan backed by sports and business boosters…

“It’s another corporate welfare project that’s going to benefit big business and not the residents,” said Matthew Falconer, a Republican and 2010 county mayoral candidate.

Falconer joined a group of stadium critics that included former Orlando mayoral candidate Mike Cantone, a Democrat; Clyde Fabretti, a West Orlando Tea Party founder; Democrat activist Lawanna Gelzer; Doug Head, a former county Democratic chair and leader of CountyWatch.

Several TV news stations also covered the “Rally to Do the Right Thing” urging the Orange County Commission to reject the funding for another stadium our community does not need.

There will be much more to come, stay tuned…