Speaker 7 (city staff) described the Chain of Lakes Park project and the proposed facility rental fee schedule needed to finalize bookings and tournaments for 2026. Full operations are scheduled to commence Dec. 5, 2025, with ribbon-cutting planned and tournaments already being scheduled through Visit Central Florida.

Staff explained the proposed fee schedule includes three user categories (public events/Visit Central Florida events with early discounts; co-sponsored government agencies/nonprofits eligible for 20% discounts; and standard public rentals). The presentation noted Visit Central Florida and the CDC contributed about $12 million to the project and that staff coordinated with Visit Central Florida on bookings.

Park operations details included restricted activities for turf preservation (no metal cleats, no shelled seeds/nuts), gate controls to separate paid fields from an open trail, access points at the northeast corner (behind Chick-fil-A and Panera) and southwest access points, and plans for staff and partner communication to manage parking and security. Speaker 9 explained the park is locked while it remains an active construction site; Speaker 10 and other parks staff described staffing levels, signage and maintenance equipment to preserve the artificial turf.

Staff estimated first-year revenue under the proposed fee schedule at $355,500 based on known bookings and emphasized a coordinated approach with Visit Central Florida and event operators to reduce scheduling conflicts. The facility's ribbon cutting is slated for Dec. 3 in staff remarks and the first tournament two days later in one remark; the city's packet listed Dec. 5 as the commencement of full operations.