The city has selected four developer finalists who will be interviewed Aug. 29. The winner will be announced Sept. 1. People in a position to know tell GlobeSt.com New York-based KUD International LLC, a subsidiary of Kajima USA Inc., has the inside track for the contract that could be worth up to 10% of the final development figure.

The other finalists are Dallas-based Trammell Crow Co., Atlanta-based Carter and Houston-based Hines. The Orlando Performing Arts Center's executive committee ranked Carter No. 2, Hines No. 3 and Trammell Crow No. 4. Observers following the city's public hearings on the developer selection tell GlobeSt.com KUD is the favorite because the company's performance can already be measured by its current construction of a new $100-million, 10,000-seat convocation center, residential buildings and retail space at the University of Central Florida in east Orange County.

People familiar with KUD's international track record also tell GlobeSt.com Orlando officials, including Mayor Buddy Dyer, have noted KUD's performance in San Francisco in 2000 on the Pacific Bell Park Stadium project. KUD completed the 40,800-seat baseball stadium job 45 days ahead of schedule and on budget. KUD had given San Francisco a guaranteed maximum price of $225 million and finished the project in 27 months.

The nonprofit Orlando Performing Arts Center board, which will joint venture the project with the selected developer, continues to review two sites for the undertaking. They are immediately east of Orlando City Hall at 400 S. Orange Ave. and on city-owned land near the TD Waterhouse Centre and the 79-year-old Carr Performing Arts Centre, just west of Interstate 4.

Sources who have followed the Performing Arts Center proposed project for years tell GlobeSt.com the winning site is expected to be near the TD Waterhouse Centre, home of the Orlando Magic and national entertainment shows. Sources base their projection on the amount of existing parking at the TD Waterhouse-Carr Performing Arts Centre locations.

Instant Insights /

KUD Has Inside Track to Win Arts Center Development Contract

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