Orlando Magic's Amway Center to Become Medical Supply Distribution Center

The Orlando Magic's arena is turning into a medical supply distribution center to help during the coronavirus pandemic. 

Per the Associated Press, the Magic and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer announced Friday the Amway Center and AdventHealth Practice Facility will be used to provide medical equipment and supplies for as long as is required.

"It is our honor to partner with the city of Orlando to provide assistance in the use of the Amway Center to meet AdventHealth's and our community's needs,'' Magic CEO Alex Martins said.

In an Orlando Sentinel article written April 3 by Daryl Tol, president and CEO of the Central Florida Division of AdventHealth, and David Strong, president and CEO of Orlando Health, it was noted the peak of coronavirus cases in Central Florida is expected to hit "some time between mid-April and the first half of May."

Based on their estimates, that could mean area hospitals will "need as much as twice the number of ICU beds currently available, our inventory of acute beds will be challenged, and we risk running out of ventilators to care for the sickest patients."

Dyer noted the arena will serve as a hub for various equipment and supplies to be distributed to 50 hospitals in Central Florida as well as facilities in seven other states.