Dr. Phillips Center’s Next Act Could Bring More Outdoor Arts to Downtown Orlando

Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts has already changed downtown Orlando’s cultural identity. Its next proposed phase would move the campus beyond the traditional theater-going experience and closer to a full civic gathering place.

The arts center’s Phase 3 masterplan, unveiled in 2023, reimagines the front plaza, side parcels, and back parcels of the 9-acre campus. The plan includes an outdoor performance auditorium for 5,000 to 7,000 guests, a 12,000 to 14,000-square-foot immersive performance venue, a 10,000-square-foot event, banquet, and exhibition space, and a 750-seat theater. The concept also includes a music and arts garden, destination restaurant and cafe, roof garden restaurant, and programming that could support many types of performances and free community events.

The center estimated Phase 3 would attract an additional 1 million unique visits annually. It projected the cost at $175 million, with a 2023 funding concept that included a $145 million Tourist Development Tax request, $15 million from the City of Orlando/CRA, and $15 million through philanthropy and sponsorships. The center said the project could be construction ready within 14 to 18 months after funding was secured.

In 2026, Orange County reopened broader conversations around future tourist tax uses through its TDT Citizen Advisory Task Force. That makes the Dr. Phillips Center plan worth watching again, especially as public officials compare tourism, sports, arts, convention, and community proposals.

For residents, the most interesting part may be the shift from ticketed performances to a more open campus. A larger outdoor venue and arts garden could create more flexible programming: concerts, festivals, cultural events, community gatherings, school performances, and destination evenings downtown. For Solivita residents and Central Florida day-trippers, it could also make Orlando arts outings feel less formal and more varied.

If Phase 3 moves forward, Dr. Phillips Center’s next act could be less about adding another building and more about giving Orlando a downtown arts campus that feels active in daylight, after dinner, and on nights when the curtain never rises inside a traditional theater.