Officials Claim Magic Are Behind Schedule In Building Local Gyms

[Lil Bit Special]

Two Orange County (FL) commissioners yesterday said that the Magic are "months behind in building the five community gyms they promised last year during negotiations to secure public funding for their new arena," according to David Damron of the ORLANDO SENTINEL.

Magic officials "insist the gyms will be done on time within three years, although they acknowledge they've had to submit an 'updated' schedule for the" $25M project. Orange County Commissioner Bill Segal said, "It doesn't seem to be a good-faith follow-through. I guess they may have been focused on their arena. It's like (they said), 'We got what we wanted, and you guys can wait.'"

Segal and Orange County Commissioner Mildred Fernandez said that the delays "shouldn't sidetrack the arena deal, but they want the gym projects on track." Magic officials said that the gym projects will be built "within three years, about the same time frame for completing the arena."

Magic VP/Communications Joel Glass said in a statement, "We have also submitted to county staff an updated schedule that in fact would begin construction on the first gym well ahead of the time frames outlined in the agreement." However, County Administrative Services Deputy Dir John Terwilliger said that the Magic were "about five months late in hiring an architect for the projects and are three months overdue in delivering a prototype design" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 7/10).