The piece below is provided by the Orlando Sentinel. For the piece on OrlandoSentinel.com, please click here.

Photo: Allison Petro

"The Orlando City Soccer Club is on a roll.

At home Saturday, before the second largest crowd in their three-year history, the Lions came within a goal of tying one of Brazil's top teams. Today Orlando City is set to go head-to-head on the road against the Chicago Fire, a Major League Soccer team, in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup.

The minor-league Lions have a good shot at moving up to the MLS themselves, and bringing a second big-league team to Central Florida.

But they need help.

MLS' conditions for an expansion franchise include a downtown soccer stadium. The Lions have been getting a big assist toward that goal from Orlando's leaders.

Orange County's leaders seem to be coming around, though not with the urgency they should. MLS could choose the site for its next team in a matter of weeks, and at least two other cities, Miami and Atlanta, are in the running.

But leaders of Central Florida's No. 1 industry, tourism, could make or break the chances for a new stadium, the golden ticket to the MLS.

The current stadium plan, developed by the city and the club, calls for building a $110 million facility downtown, starting with a $70 million first phase. Orlando City has agreed to put up $30 million, on top of the $70 million expansion fee it will pay MLS. But the first phase also depends on $20 million from the county's 6 percent tax on hotel and motel guests.

While tourist tax collections belong to the public, industry leaders tend to regard those dollars as their own. That's probably because most of the money is reserved for the Orange County Convention Center and marketing Central Florida to attract more tourists.

The last time a plan called for committing tourist taxes to something other than the convention center or marketing — hundreds of millions of dollars for three downtown venues — the support of the three top theme parks in Central Florida and the region's leading hotel group was crucial. Disney, Universal, Sea World and the Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association came out together in favor of the venues.

Two Disney executives, Al Weiss and Meg Crofton, eloquently and correctly explained their thinking in a 2007 column for the Sentinel, writing, "This is really about giving back to the residents of Central Florida and bringing the world to our front door."

Compared with that earlier commitment, $20 million for the soccer stadium is modest. It would extend the repayment schedule for money borrowed to build the three other venues by just one year.

And the tourism giants stand to gain plenty from an Orlando MLS franchise. With its international appeal, soccer is unique among major sports in its marketing power and its potential to attract out-of-town visitors.

Orlando City plans to sign a top Brazilian player, which will make Central Florida an even bigger draw for tourists from that country. The club is negotiating with MLS to schedule a couple of all-star games, along with five international soccer matches, in Orlando — more events that will put heads in beds at local hotels.

It's time for the mouse, the wizard and the whale to unite behind bringing Major League Soccer to Central Florida."