ORLANDO, Fla., Aug. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Ask almost anyone why they chose to call East Orange County home, and the answers are usually the same: the schools, the community and the people. East Orange County is a place where people feel a deep sense of belonging and safety.

Over the past 25 years, East Orange County has become one of Central Florida’s great success stories. Families have planted roots, businesses have invested, and together, we have built a community where people are proud to call home.

But great communities are never finished. They continue investing in what comes next.

Now, we believe it is time for the next chapter.

Avalon Park Group is committing to creating an approximately 250-acre regional park and athletic complex that will serve East Orange County for generations to come. The goal is to make several athletic fields available to the community as early as next year by working with state, regional and local entities to ensure timely completion.

“This community has always accomplished its biggest goals by working together,” said Beat Kahli, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Avalon Park Group. “The partnerships that helped create outstanding schools and thriving communities can also create a regional park that serves families for generations.”

One of the best examples of this type of arrangement is the schools in Avalon Park. Through partnerships among Orange County Public Schools, local government, Avalon Park Group, educators, and families, every one of Avalon Park’s schools has earned an A rating, with two recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools.

Traditionally, parks and athletic complexes are built with public financing, as in Seminole County, City of Apopka, Orange County and elsewhere. As local governments struggle with increased costs and accusations of wasteful spending, this plan is not dependent on any financial commitment from Orange County.

“This park will not ask for Tourist Development Tax dollars, and it will not ask Orange County taxpayers to fund it,” said Kahli. “Those funds have their own purposes and their own pressures. What East Orange County needs is a model that delivers without competing for money that is already spoken for.”

Instead, this park’s success is based on the 30-year track record of Avalon Park Group’s multifaceted portfolio of companies that call Orange County home and through the more than $20 million in property taxes its community, Avalon Park Orlando, pays every year.

“For 20 years, a regional park has been promised and planned, but never delivered,” said Kahli. “It is time for a different model, and Avalon Park Group is ready to lead the effort to bring this vision to reality.”

That long-term vision reaches far beyond athletic fields. While soccer, football, volleyball, cricket, baseball and more will be available, Avalon Park Group believes that walking trails, playgrounds, wellness amenities, and community gathering spaces are all part of the conversation.

That said, the regional park will also work to become a national destination, looking to grow our region’s successful economic development efforts through amateur sports.

However, the final plan will be shaped by the people who will use it. Residents, athletic organizations, schools, homeowner associations, businesses, and civic leaders will be invited to help define the park through surveys and community meetings.

The need is clear.

East Orange County continues to welcome thousands of new residents each year, yet recreational infrastructure has not kept pace.

Every weekend, local families travel across Central Florida so their children can play soccer, football or baseball, compete in volleyball tournaments, run track, play cricket, and participate in other activities because quality regional facilities are not available close to home.

“Our families spend countless hours traveling because quality athletic facilities have not kept pace with the incredible growth of East Orange County,” said Dave Weiser, Executive Director of the East Orlando Knights Soccer Club. “A regional park is about much more than sports. It gives children more opportunities close to home while creating a destination the entire community can enjoy.”

That need extends well beyond youth athletics.

“I have watched Avalon Park grow from open land into a thriving community filled with families, schools, businesses, and civic organizations,” said Brenda Kolbrich, longtime Avalon Park community advocate. “The next step is ensuring that our public spaces and recreational opportunities grow with us. A regional park would give residents of every age a place to connect, stay active, and continue building the community spirit that makes East Orange County special.”

“Community parks are about so much more than playgrounds and walking trails. They become the heart of a neighborhood, providing a place where families gather, children play, neighbors connect, and community traditions are built. For far too long, East Orange County has been underserved when it comes to accessible public parks, despite the tremendous growth our area has experienced,” said Stephanie Chandrasekaran, Realtor and President of the Stoneybrook Homeowners Association. “Investing in parks is an investment in the health, quality of life, and long-term strength of a community. Every resident deserves access to welcoming public spaces that encourage recreation, foster relationships, and create a stronger sense of belonging for generations to come.”

“Our residents have been clear that they want more opportunities to gather, exercise, play sports, and enjoy the outdoors without having to leave East Orange County,” said Angie Smith Gerard, Board Member of the Avalon Park Property Owners Association. “A park of this scale would serve our children today while creating an important community asset for generations to come.”

Like every major public investment in Avalon Park’s history, this project will depend on strong partnerships. While tax dollars are not needed to bring this to life, success will require collaboration among the State of Florida, Orange County and neighboring jurisdictions, community organizations, residents, athletic associations, and the private sector.

“As a mom, I have seen firsthand how important parks, trails, and athletic fields are for children and families. But too many parents spend hours driving across the region because recreational spaces have not kept pace with our county’s growth. East Orange County deserves the kind of parks and recreational opportunities that reflect the incredible community it has become,” said Stephanie Murphy, candidate for Orange County Mayor. “As mayor, I will support partnerships that expand access to quality recreational opportunities, while ensuring every investment is made transparently and in the best interest of Orange County residents.”

“Our community has demonstrated time and again what is possible when people come together around a shared vision,” said State Representative Johanna Lopez, candidate for Orange County Commission District 4. “This initiative is another opportunity for local government, residents, and private partners to build something that will benefit East Orange County families for generations. If elected, our county government will stop promising a park and work to make it a reality. I support moving this effort forward and ensuring that the community has a strong voice throughout the process.”

Work is already underway to identify the specific site and build the partnerships necessary to move the project forward.

Finalizing the location will require cooperation across jurisdictions and a shared commitment from local leadership. The goal is to find a convenient location near restaurants and other amenities, but one that is separated from surrounding neighborhoods by substantial landscaped buffers and berms, limiting its visibility and potential noise issues from residential areas.

Regional parks create places where children discover new passions, neighbors become friends, grandparents walk with grandchildren, and tournaments introduce visitors to local businesses. They strengthen communities in ways that extend far beyond recreation. The leaders featured here represent only a handful of those who have already expressed support. More than a dozen local athletic organizations, homeowner associations, community leaders, and residents have shared the same sentiment: East Orange County is ready for a regional park.

Avalon Park Group is committed to leading the effort.

The community is ready to help shape it. Now it is time to bring together the public and private partners needed to turn the vision into reality. Because the next great chapter of East Orange County will not be built by one organization. It will be built together.

About Avalon Park Group

Avalon Park Group is a uniquely diversified family of companies engaged in businesses ranging from master-planned community development to technology and health care services, co-working, food hall management, mining, and property management, in Florida, Texas, and Switzerland. With more than $1 billion in total assets, Avalon Park Group combines its exceptional reputation, sound business experience, and significant financial resources to invest in extraordinary opportunities. At Avalon Park Group, our mission is to change the way the world lives, learns, works, and plays by creating healthy sustainable communities and every aspect thereof. For more information on Avalon Park Group, visit www.AvalonParkGroup.com or call 407-658-6565.

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SOURCE Avalon Park Group