Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs and District 1 Commissioner Scott Boyd welcomed thousands of Seminole fans to the Orlando Citrus Bowl for the Florida State University (FSU) spring scrimmage football game on April 9.<\/p>\n
Mayor Jacobs and Commissioner Boyd attended the game as proud alumni to support their alma mater. The Seminoles\u2019 intra-squad scrimmage ended in a 24-24 tie.<\/p>\n
With Florida State\u2019s Doak Campbell Stadium undergoing upgrades, university athletic officials sought a different venue for the school\u2019s spring game.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe short term construction challenges of building the Champions Club in Doak Campbell stadium has provided a unique opportunity for our 2016 spring football game,\u201d said FSU athletic director Stan Wilcox. \u201cWe are pleased to offer our fans greater access to Florida State football at an exciting and refurbished venue in one of the best destination cities in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
This won\u2019t be the last time Seminole fans will be gathering at the Orlando Citrus Bowl. The University of Mississippi and Florida State University will open the 2016 football season at the Citrus Bowl as part of the first annual “Orlando Kickoff Game.” The neutral-site season opening game between the Rebels and Seminoles will be played on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 5, 2016, and will be televised nationally by ESPN.<\/p>\n
The Orlando Citrus Bowl recently reopened in 2014 as part of a $94.5 million venues package to transform Orange County into a mecca of economic, cultural and sports opportunities to support the region\u2019s increasingly diverse and creative population for generations to come.<\/p>\n
The new Citrus Bowl was constructed in less than 10 months and replaced 90 percent of the stadium with brand new construction, creating an improved fan experience and utilizing the latest technology in the region\u2019s largest stadium venue. There are now 65,000 seats available for fans and three, large state-of-the-art video scoreboard displays.<\/p>\n
Since being constructed in 1936, the Citrus Bowl has hosted numerous outstanding athletic events, including World Cup Soccer, Florida High School Athletic Association events, and many high-profile college and bowl games, including star-studded performances from the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, and the Eagles.<\/p>\n
The Orlando Citrus Bowl also continues its tradition of hosting signature events, including the annual Florida Blue Florida Classic, Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl, Russell Athletic Bowl, Monster Jam and the highly anticipated WWE WrestleMania 33 coming in April 2017.<\/p>\n