Clermont’s City Council unanimously approved Olympus – an innovative 243-acre master planned community combining sports, wellness, entertainment and residential development – at the May 14 council meeting.

“The City of Clermont is thrilled to partner with Olympus to bring the next level of sports and medical facilities to Clermont,” Clermont City Manager Darren Gray said.

“Olympus aligns perfectly with our Choice of Champions brand and our reputation as a world-class haven for athletes. This is a historic moment for Clermont, and the City Council’s unanimous approval reflects their enthusiastic endorsement of Olympus.”

After a global search, Clermont was chosen as the location for its sense of community. The Olympus project is spearheading the Wellness Way Area, a growth and innovation corridor consisting of 15,000+ acres in close proximity to Orange County’s Horizon West and the western entrance of Walt Disney World. The Olympus development is estimated to create over 5,000 jobs and generate over $1.4 billion in local economic impact during a 10-year period.

“City Council’s vote is a milestone in the life of the project, and we are energized by the high level of excitement within the community and beyond,” said Mike Carroll, co-founder and chief operating officer of Olympus. “Together with our public and private partners and supporters, we are spearheading the Wellness Way growth area and creating a legacy for generations to come.”

Guided by its brand promise of “Epic. Every Day,” Olympus uniquely combines multi-sport training and competition venues, leading-edge wellness, health and fitness facilities, and a dynamic town center featuring world-class restaurants, shops, hotels, cultural and community events, and more.

“Clermont is very fortunate to have been chosen as the location for Olympus,” Clermont Mayor Gail Ash said. “We are thankful that they saw how special our city is, and they’ll make it even more special.”

Olympus has gained the support of both the City of Clermont and Lake County and is working in partnership to create long-term value for all stakeholders and residents of Wellness Way, Lake County and Central Florida.

“Our vision is to create a multi-generational community and global destination that enriches the lives of residents, guests and the wider community, with a fully-integrated array of health, wellness, sports and entertainment facilities,” Carroll said.

Crafted by some of the most respected planners and engineers in Florida, the Olympus master plan comprises a synergistic array of development zones, including:

• Multi-sport competition and training venues for collegiate, professional and elite athletes; featuring sports celebrities, legendary coaches and global sports brands/properties
• Leading-edge wellness, fitness and sports medicine facilities for athletes, individuals, families, businesses and the local community; featuring public fitness trails, a state-of-the-art fitness and health club, healthy living/destination spa, and renowned orthopedic doctors/groups
• World-class hospitality, dining, shopping and office/conference venues for visitors, businesses and local residents; featuring premier restaurant brands, unique retail brands, leading hotel/resort brands and more

“The Olympus plan integrates environmental stewardship, civic spaces, unique geography and world-class facilities,” said Olympus Senior Planner and Development Director G. Brian Wheeler, RLA. “It is all about creating experiences that are unique and unforgettable. I am thrilled to be working with the amazing Olympus team on this inspiring project for Central Florida.”

Wheeler has nearly 40 years of experience in environmental design and land planning for real estate-based assets, community and urban master planning. He brings a successful career of planning and implementing mixed-use development to the Olympus team.

A study by Henry Fishkind of Fishkind & Associates projects $1.4 billion in local economic impact from Olympus during a 10-year period with over 5,000 jobs being supported at buildout.

“Olympus is a transformational project that will produce long-term benefits to the people of Clermont and to Central Florida,” said Fishkind, one of Florida’s premier economists and financial advisers with over 30 years of experience in economic analysis and forecasting.

For information, contact Olympus at mike@olympusorlando.com or the City of Clermont at kdeen@clermontfl.org.