OCCC News

The Spirit Cheer Dance Grand Nationals & Cheer Nationals will return to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, again in 2024, bringing the most esteemed cheer and dance teams back to the Sunshine State for another round of elite competition. Read more

Despite an unexpectedly soft summer season, Orlando's attractions are ending the year on a high note. Both Disney and the Tourism Development Tax fund recently reported unexpectedly strong revenue, and expectations for next year's debut of Universal's Epic Universe are so elevated that the International Drive Chamber of Commerce already awarded the upcoming theme park a place of honor on its "Visionary Leadership Award" Wall of Fame, more than six months before its gates officially open. Nowhere was that mounting excitement more apparent than at last week's annual gathering of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, which drew over 38,000 attendees and 11,000 exhibitors from around the globe to the Orange County Convention Center. Read more

The Orlando City Baseball Dreamers ("Orlando Dreamers") announced that Orlando has passed Minneapolis-St. Paul in the U.S. media market rankings and is now the #15 market in the country with an estimated 1,902,420 TV homes. The city had previously topped Miami and Denver in recent years. In 2022, Pat Williams, the iconic Co-Founder of the Dreamers, predicted that the Orlando media market would be in the top 15 markets by 2025. Read more

As the most successful local hotel owner in central Florida, it’s no surprise Florida tourism icon Harris Rosen’s name is on the University of Central Florida’s School of Hospitality Management. He was also a charter member of the UCF Board of Trustees. Read more

Harris Rosen, founder and president of the Rosen Hotels & Resorts and longtime philanthropist in Central Florida, passed away Monday at the age of 85, surrounded by family and friends, according to Frank Santos, vice president of the company. Read more