While highlighting the exciting developments ahead for the region, he proclaimed Orlando as the MetaCenter™ – the center of the metaverse.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer is world-famous as the first person to welcome visitors to Orlando aboard the automatic people mover at Orlando International Airport. Now, he’s achieved fame in the virtual world as the first to give a mayoral address in the metaverse.
On December 7, 2022, Mayor Dyer appeared in front of hundreds of people in-person and in the metaverse to give his annual State of Downtown Address. While highlighting the exciting developments ahead for the area, he proclaimed a future with Orlando as the MetaCenter™ – the center of the metaverse.
“If this sounds audacious, that’s because it is, but the magnitude of this opportunity can’t be understated.”
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer
“So, our ideas and ambition must meet the size of this opportunity,” Dyer stated.
Dyer compared the emergence of the metaverse to the Internet boom of the 1990s, looking ahead to an explosive and lucrative future where people can interact, shop and meet up virtually. With companies such as Unity, Echo Interaction Group and MELON, Orlando’s tech industry is building the metaverse one game, app and experience at a time. Two local companies even made Dyer’s speech in the metaverse possible: 302 Interactive and the Metaverse Construction Company, along with cornerstone Ireland-based metaverse company Engage XR, which provided the platform on which this moment was made possible.
With a strong tech ecosystem and 2,500 high-wage tech jobs available, Dyer also made a call for tech professionals to come to Orlando and be part of creating the future.
“Consider this your personal invitation from the Mayor of Orlando,” said Dyer.
“We want you to share in what we’re building here in the MetaCenter™. We want you in Orlando.”
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer
You can watch Dyer deliver his address in the metaverse here. His address starts at the 57-minute mark.
