KUD International LLC, a subsidiary of Kajima USA Inc., was supposed to have been the favorite of the four finalists for the job, as GlobeSt.com reported Aug. 19. However, Hines' track record of 700 completed mixed-use projects worldwide swayed the board in its final selection, sources intimate with the selection procedure tell GlobeSt.com.

Also in the running were Carter of Atlanta and Dallas-based Trammell Crow Co. OPAC's executive committee, and not the board of directors, had previously ranked KUD No. 1, Carter No. 2, Hines No. 3 and Trammell Crow No. 4, as GlobeSt.com previously reported.

OPAC is the joint venture partner in the project. Hines is preparing a preliminary report on what components the arts center should include. Initial concepts call for an undetermined amount of retail, restaurants, a public plaza, parking facilities and a hotel consisting of at least 200 rooms, City Hall sources tell GlobeSt.com.

Still undecided is the site for the arts center. Sources who have followed the Performing Arts Center proposed project for the last 15 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 project on the amount of existing parking at the TD Waterhouse location and the nearby 150,000-sf, 30-year-old Carr Performing Arts Center which is expected to be demolished or converted to a commercial property, sources familiar with site discussions tell GlobeSt.com.