Jason Siegel: A Massive Multi-Sport Weekend in Orlando

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The first weekend in February will be an extraordinary one in Orlando, Florida, which hosts the U.S. Olympic Trials for marathon on February 3, followed the next day by the NFL Pro Bowl Games are at Camping World Stadium. The big weekend comes on the heels of news that two of the city’s recognizable sports venues will receive more than a combined $600 million in renovations in the coming years. We chatted with Jason Siegel, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Orlando Sports Commission, about the process in landing the U.S. Olympic Trials for Marathon and the preparation that has gone into planning the event, what the big weekend ahead will be like for locals, the news of renovation funds committed to area venues and more.

Among the topics discussed

• Why Orlando wanted to host the U.S. Olympic Trials for Marathon (1:56)
• Winning the bid and what the event will do the region’s brand (6:05)
• The logistics of planning the event (12:09)
• How the sports commission adapted to the changing start times that were modified from the original announcement (16:25)
• How to balance two high-profile events on the same weekend (19:35)
• The impact of new renovation funds for Camping World Stadium and Kia Center (22:02)
• What UCF’s move to the Big 12, venue renovations and two major events will mean in the year to come (26:32)

This episode is sponsored by: