After searching the country, the city has identified four potential candidates to be the new director of the RP Funding Center.
The role was vacated in May by former Executive Director Tony Camarillo, who stepped away after eight years to become general manager of the Orange County Convention Center. In the interim, Steven Collazo, the fiscal and operations manager, is holding down the fort.
The city advertised the position from May 15 to June 15 and received 83 applications, according to City Manager Shawn Sherrouse. The Human Resources Department whittled the field to 24 qualified applicants, from which Sherrouse and his top deputies selected five finalists. One has since accepted another position, but the city will be interviewing the other four this week.
Sherrouse said one is an internal candidate; the others are from outside the city. But if the hiring committee doesn’t feel any are the right person, they will advertise again. Sherrouse said there is “no specific timeline” to fill the position.
In April RP Funding Center lost both Orlando Magic’s G League basketball team and Florida Tropics Soccer Club due to raising cost.
Public reaction after the departures of the Magic and the Tropics was swift and harsh. Many social media users accused the city of “running off everything good” and turning the center into an “albatross” or a “white elephant.” More than 1,700 people signed a petition on change.org urging the city to help the Florida Tropics stay at the RP Funding Center.
However, city leaders have been resolute that the center should focus on renting the space to organizations and groups that can pay market rates.