The Orlando Dreamers have announced two key financial backers for their initiative to bring Major League Baseball to the city. Dr. Rick Workman, executive chairman and founder of Heartland Dental based in Effingham, Illinois, is the primary investor, while John Morgan, founder of the law firm Morgan & Morgan, is also involved in the effort. The Orlando Sentinel was the first to report on the identities of these investors.
This announcement follows the team’s declaration on April 24 that it had raised approximately $1.5 billion to acquire a franchise and had secured a letter of intent for $1 billion to construct a stadium. The group’s leadership has suggested the possibility of purchasing the Tampa Bay Rays and relocating the team to Orlando.
Workman founded Heartland Dental in 1997, which now collaborates with over 3,000 doctors across more than 1,750 locations in 39 states and Washington, D.C. Morgan & Morgan is a national legal powerhouse and the largest law firm in Orlando, employing 181 local attorneys and more than 6,000 individuals overall, including over 1,000 lawyers, licensed to practice in all 50 states.
The Dreamers indicated their desire to build a stadium on a 35.5-acre site in Orange County, located at the southeast corner of the International Drive interchange with State Road 528. Orange County has not yet announced whether it will support this initiative, and county officials were not immediately available for comment.
The proposed $1.7 billion, 45,000-seat domed stadium was one of several projects competing for $975 million in Orange County tourist development tax dollars in 2023 but was ultimately not selected by county commissioners. The Dreamers previously stated that their proposal would create approximately 25,000 permanent jobs and generate $40 billion in economic impact.
Additionally, the proposed team plans to staff and establish an office in downtown Orlando, which will be managed by Andy Herdliska.
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