Here's a closer look at Orlando/Central Florida's newest eateries, drinking spots, hotels, conference areas, private rooms and other spaces available for events this fall. The new and renovated Orlando/Central Florida venues are available for corporate parties, weddings, fundraisers, outdoor functions, business dinners, team-building activities, conferences, meetings and more.
A note regarding COVID-19: Some of the venues listed here may not yet be available for hosting events due to COVID-19, or they may be operating at a lower capacity. As venues begin to slowly reopen across North America, we encourage event organizers to contact the venues to verify current capacity restrictions.
Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center
Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center has added 100,000 square feet of meeting space as part of a $158 expansion, concluded in May 2021; new areas will be introduced gradually during coming months. The new venues are part of the new Gulf Coast Tower, with 300-plus guest rooms, bringing the entire resort to 1,718 accommodations. Calm blues and beiges contribute to a modern-tropical theme indoors, with tailored furnishings and contemporary chandeliers. The crux of the event space is the 30,417-square-foot Coastal Ballroom—which can be divided into 14 sections, with custom Italian mosaics with Moorish influences flanking the entrance and large windows inviting natural light within. Up to 2,856 guests can join an event there, depending on seating style. It is adjacent to equal amounts of space for breakout meeting rooms and prefunction events. Outdoors, the Mangrove Lawn features 19,773 square feet of flexible paved and artificial grass areas, flanked by fire pits and near the resort’s water park.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Mamone, Marriott International
Sprengergarten Weddings & Events
The coastal community of Melbourne, on Florida’s Space Coast, got a new Bavarian-style event venue in September 2021 when Sprengergarten Weddings & Events debuted, complete with gardens and cobblestone pathways between buildings. The secluded 8-acre facility has indoor and outdoor event spaces. Ceremony options include a gazebo, a patio that can be made weatherproof and an open lawn, which can also be used for fireworks or helicopter landings. Receptions are generally held in the ballroom, a newly built 60-foot-by-72-foot space with LVP flooring that resembles rustic wood; it also has a recessed ceiling, wood beams, stained wood accents, windows, roll-up doors that open to a patio and a variety of seating options. It seats 225 guests at banquet rounds, more when open to the outdoors. It was designed with speakers, integrated audiovisual with wireless mics, and a rotating camera for livestream onto TVs that can also be used for logos and live photobooths. The Tavern, with an antique European bar, is ideal for intimate events of up to 90 standing reception style. Planners can book any licensed and insured caterer, or bring in food trucks, which park in an area designed to hide wires and minimize noise. A two-story Bridal House, with a wraparound balcony and several vanities, is for wedding prep, and the Grooms Lounge caters to men with leather furniture. A 30-foot-by-30-foot dance floor is available. An electric vehicle is available for transportation. The family-owned facility is expected to expand on an adjacent 10 acres.
Photo: Courtesy of Sprengergarten Weddings & Events
Wyndham Orlando Resort & Conference Center Celebration Area
Following a multimillion-dollar renovation and rebranding concluding in April 2021, the Wyndham Orlando Resort & Conference Center Celebration Area in Orlando’s Maingate area near Disney World features upgrades to its banquet area. The hotel has 30,000 square feet of event space broken into eight venues. In total the area can host up to 1,300 guests for a conference 1,000 seated at table rounds. As part of the refurbishment, the ballrooms were brightened with carpeting in water-like shades of aqua, and whimsical star-like lighting was hung from round modern chandeliers. The event-area restroom components were replaced. A dance floor, food and beverage services and limited audiovisual equipment including a screen, speaker, four-channel mixer and half a dozen spotlights are available as add-ons. The resort now also has wellness rooms, an indoor playground, and TopGolf suites that can be used for small gatherings or as part of Group + Top Swing Suites packages.
Photo: Courtesy of Wyndham Orlando Resort & Conference Center Celebration Area
RP Funding Center
The building now known as the RP Funding Center has been a spot for community gatherings in Lakeland since it was built in 1974. Today, following an $18 million renovation, the exterior sports the Lakeland Magic G-League’s blue and gray color scheme, and the interior has been updated, including areas used for private events. Groups can rent out the 5,000-seat arena, which has new flooring and has been made ADA compliant; the 2,218-seat YouKey Theatre; and any or all parts of the newly carpeted 100,000-square-foot convention center, which includes a 27,848-square-foot exhibit hall with dimmable lighting and in-ceiling speakers. Sikes Hall has 24,600 square feet that can be broken into six smaller spaces, and the Lake Hollingsworth Ballroom offers 5,000 square feet for banquets and meetings of up to 464 participants theater style. Parking and two hotels are on-site. A 60-foot-by-40-foot concert stage and audiovisual equipment are available. Levy Restaurants offers a full catering menu for events, including trade shows, weddings, galas and conferences.
Photo: Courtesy of RP Funding Center
JW Marriott Tampa Water Street
The JW Marriott Tampa Water Street, opened in December 2020, features a modern event space billed as a “floating conference room” because it’s a four-story glass Skybox hanging above both the lobby and a sixth-floor outdoor event lawn. The downtown 519-room hotel with a four-story atrium, spa and rooftop pool has a blue and white color scheme. The Skybox, which fits 25 for a reception, is part of the 100,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space. The contemporary Tampa Bay Ballroom is Tampa Bay’s largest at 29,100 square feet and distinct with contemporary touches such as recessed lighting and modern chandeliers. It accommodates 3,000 for a reception, 2,000 for a banquet and 1,600 classroom style. Wedding planners are on staff and state-of-the-art audiovisual elements are available. The property partners with a sister hotel that has 50,000 square feet of newly redesigned space for events. Both are located near a convention center and an arena.
Photo: Courtesy of JW Marriott Tampa Water Street
The Gathering Kitchen at the Marketplace at Avalon Park
Orlando’s newest food hall has opened in the mammoth subdivision Avalon Park. The facility has nine independent vendors as well as the capacity for private events, called The Gathering Kitchen at the Marketplace at Avalon Park. It’s a 750-square-foot area with a modern-industrial feel. In it, groups can meet classroom style, standing for a reception (45 people max) or seated at banquet rounds (up to 38 guests). A TV is available. The Marketplace also has a general store and a commissary kitchen.
Photo: Courtesy of The Gathering Kitchen at the Marketplace at Avalon Park
The Pointe
Wrapping up phase one of a redevelopment that’s slated to be finished by the first quarter of 2022, the multilevel dining/entertainment/shopping destination previously known as Pointe Orlando is now rebranding as The Pointe and has added a new outdoor area for private events. The space, behind a valet parking loop, is distinctive with modern wrought-iron umbrellas bearing an artistic resemblance to trees, as well as contemporary lounge seating and tall planters. Groups can rent the new courtyard space, which fits 50 cocktail style, but must do so through an event-planning specialist or a Pointe restaurant for insurance purposes. Planners can access decor items, additional seating, tables, stages and more from local vendors. The Pub, Oceanaire and The Capital Grille work with the new venue now, providing food and beverage individually or together for a block party feel; The Hampton Social and Kavas Tacos & Tequila will join the line-up in early 2022.
Photo: Courtesy of Pointe Orlando
Bombay Street Kitchen
Located in a spacious area with high exposed ceilings, Bombay Street Kitchen opened featuring iconic street foods of Mumbai, Chennai, Bagalore, Delhi and other areas of India in March 2021. It welcomes semiprivate events in a 600-square-foot portion of its main dining room, with guests seated at two parallel 10-top tables. Planners can request that foods from the extensive menu be served banquet style. The restaurant has a modern feel accentuated by bright aqua and orange, along with glass accents and rustic light fixtures. The bar has subtle backlighting near the stools.
Photo: Courtesy of Bombay Street Kitchen
