The ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex is an approximately 230-acre (90 ha) multi-purpose sports complex at Walt Disney World Resort in Osceola County, Florida, near Orlando. Opened on March 28, 1997, it features nine venues and hosts professional and amateur sporting events throughout the year, allowing families to combine tournament play with area vacations.
- Venue
- ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
- Town
- Walt Disney World Resort, US
The ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex is an approximately 230-acre (90 ha) multi-purpose sports complex at Walt Disney World Resort in Osceola County, Florida, near Orlando. Opened on March 28, 1997, it features nine venues and hosts professional and amateur sporting events throughout the year, allowing families to combine tournament play with area vacations. Originally named Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex from 1997 to 2010, the facility was rebranded after the Disney-owned ESPN. The name references the television program Wide World of Sports, which aired on the ABC network, which had been acquired by The Walt Disney Company in 1996. The complex is used primarily for Amateur Athletic Union tournaments and has also hosted high-profile events, including the 2020 NBA Bubble, MLS is Back Tournament, 2016 Invictus Games, Pro Bowl skills competitions (2017-2020), the 1997 U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships, Atlanta Braves spring training (1997-2019), Tampa Bay Rays spring training (2023), and the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games. Disney built the US$100 million facility on former wetlands under the direction of Disney vice president Reggie Williams. Construction started in July 1995. The complex was built to publicize Walt Disney World, fill hotel rooms, grow sponsorship revenue, and build Walt Disney World's position as a sports destination. The venue opened on March 28, 1997, with an exhibition baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds. On April 21-27, the main tennis courts hosted the U.S. Men's Clay Court Tennis Championships. A grand opening was held May 15, 1997. The initial build out consisted of nine venues with a 10th, the Olympic velodrome, expected in the third quarter 1997. Initial tenants were Braves & its rookie team, the Harlem Globetrotters, NFL Experience, the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships, Amateur Athletic Union, Official All Star Café and Northeastern University's Center for the Study of Sport in Society.:2 Disney bid