ORLANDO, Fla. — The grand opening of the Orlando City Soccer stadium is March 5, and to accommodate thousands of fans and the money the stadium will bring in, the city is now trying to make sure the infrastructure around the stadium can support it.
The city plans to add more sidewalks and lighting in the neighborhood.
"I had to walk all the way from the parking lot over there to the Citrus Bowl," said Marcos Huaman an Orlando City Soccer fan. "Not all the roads were very walkable."
"I definitely think it's a good thing, and I'm hoping we here at Chef Eddie's can grow with it,” said Eddie James, owner of Chef Eddie’s.
The city plans to spend $4.2 million to spruce up the area to make it safer and more accessible for pedestrians. The project includes road resurfacing, sidewalks, landscaping and street lights.
"The lighting is huge. I mean, just lighting the place up, making people feel more comfortable, more secure,” James said.
Channel 9's Lauren Seabrook asked city officials how the multimillion-dollar price tag compares to early cost estimates for the project. Officials said that because of a growing local economy, construction demands and costs are up, which is forcing the city to pay more than expected.
"This is going to bring more soccer activity to Orlando, not only from the local team, but internationally. So this has a lot of potential, and I'm really looking forward to the future,” Huaman said.
The construction outside the stadium won't be done in time for the first game. The city said it will likely take about six months.
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