At the start of the year, Caribe Royale Orlando debuted its Stadium Club, a two-story, 9,000 square-foot space where guests can play high-tech, immersive games and dine on elevated sports food from a menu designed by “Top Chef” alums.
The high-end sports bar that evokes the feel of a high-energy stadium has proven to be a win for meeting and events planners, with multiple groups opting for full buyouts of the Stadium Club for their gatherings, says Amaury Piedra, Managing Director of Caribe Royale Orlando Resort.
“Groups have used the space for icebreakers and team building events,” he says. “They have held simulator golf tournaments, turned the space into a full ‘80s theme night including ‘80s music, videos and nostalgic giveaways.” Celebrity DJs have been brought in to play for crowds.
Now, after a successful inaugural year, Caribe Royale Orlando announced its plans to supersize the fun with the addition of a new outdoor area called Tailgate, which continues to build on the demand from meeting groups who are seeking out energetic and immersive spaces for their in-person gatherings.
Because Orlando remains a leading city in the United States for meetings and events, Caribe Royale’s latest expansion also includes an additional ballroom to accommodate more groups as well as those that need extra ballroom space and breakout rooms for their events.
Stadium Club Expands with a New VIP Tailgate Section
When Stadium Club opened in January 2024, it was the latest addition in the resort’s $140 million property transformation, which also included redesigned guest room suites, public areas, restaurants and bars, and expanded meeting and event space.
The new Tailgate space, which is expected to be completed by late 2025, will be perfect for group functions or for even bigger buyouts of the Stadium Club, Piedra says. This new outdoor area will add 5,000 square feet to the Stadium Club, accommodating an additional 200 people.
“The space will feature football field turf with yard markers as flooring, a retractable roof and VIP seating areas,” Piedra says. It will also be equipped with state-of-the art audio and visual systems including two 10-foot TV screens, as well as a 20-seat bar plus several more TV screens.
“Meeting planners will be able to enjoy the indoor-outdoor area and privacy.”
Buying out Stadium Club is another option as it can accommodate over 500 people.
The space is unique because it has a 110-foot-long wrap-around ribbon television, which will look familiar to anyone who has caught a game at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, where an infinity screen allows for 360-degree viewing.
The tech at Stadium Club also allows companies to customize their buyouts, whether that’s broadcasting a CEO’s address on the big screen televisions or tailoring the lights and music for events.
As for team building, the sports simulators at Stadium Club are in club-like suites and are loaded with a dozen games, so participants can pick up a TaylorMade club and test their skills driving a golf ball on one of 48 virtual courses, try their luck at a football quarterback challenge or even shoot hoops on simulated courts. These simulators can be adjusted by skill level, and are a fun way to break the ice with co-workers.
A New Ballroom Coming In 2025
Caribe Royale Orlando is also finalizing its new Coral Ballroom, which will be 12,500 square feet and divisible into three sections, Piedra says. The targeted completion date for this new ballroom is the fourth quarter of 2025.
The ballroom, which will have high, 24-foot ceilings, will be supported by 7,500 square feet of breakout space that can be divided up into seven separate breakout rooms.
“The space will be perfect for those meetings of 100-250 as they will have an entire self-contained area to themselves or as additional space for our larger groups,” Piedra says.
With the additions, Caribe Royale Orlando will now have more than 240,000 square feet of meeting space, which also includes beloved meeting spaces like The Grove, an event lawn, and the Boca meeting rooms that can be paired with the charming outdoor Boca Pavilion.
“As our business has grown and Caribe Royale Orlando has become a go-to resort for meeting planners, we’re always trying to stay one step ahead in anticipating the needs of our customers,” Piedra says. “Stadium Club and the new Coral Ballroom are examples of ensuring we have everything our customers need for successful events.”