Church Wins Stadium Standoff

Faith Deliverance Temple sits in the middle of Orlando’s predominantly African-American Parramore district and what was the planned downtown stadium site.

The church threw the city for a loop when officials announced they weren’t selling their property earlier this year, and said they would fight attempts to force the matter.

The city had reportedly offered Faith Deliverance as much as $4 million for the land. Wary of becoming mired in a legal battle that could drag on for years, the city looked for alternatives and found an interested seller nearby in a financial services company.

The stadium development will now shift west, a solution that was commended by the Orlando City soccer team that will make its home in the stadium come 2016.

“We applaud the mayor for finding an alternative solution that is a win for everyone involved,” Orlando City President Phil Rawlins said in a statement. “We recognize the rich tradition of the (Parramore) community and its deep connection to residents. Therefore, we will incorporate elements into the stadium, such as the Carver name in respect to the legendary theatre that resided there on the site many years ago.”