Kia Center Orlando: load-in, rigging, power and LED files

Which document covers Kia Center, and how do you identify its edition?

The cover states Production Guide, version 8.0, and printed page 1 shows an update of January 16, 2026. References here use printed page numbers; the PDF page number is one higher. The official production page links this file. Amway Center is the former name of this venue; do not confuse it with Kia Forum or other Orlando facilities.

Record the date, configuration and event lead in the technical file. Match each drawing to that configuration and record later venue revisions. The following guidance helps prepare the review; it does not replace venue acceptance of the design or applicable permits.

Where does equipment enter, and which clearances need checking?

Backstage, page 10, locates loading on South Street between Hughey Avenue and Division Avenue; the truck plan on page 26 identifies 401 W South Street. Coordinate the dock, arrival sequence and route before shipping. The Church Street front entrance does not establish production access.

Compare the outside dimensions of packed equipment with every doorway and turn on the assigned route. Published dimensions support that check; they do not confirm passage or availability. Keep the Dock #1 ramp clear during the event: the manual reserves it for emergency vehicles.

What must be checked before hanging an LED wall or sound system?

Pages 29–30 require use of the members identified on the rigging plan. A segment limit includes the combined loads applied to that segment; it is not a separate allowance for each hoist. Prepare positions, complete weights, reactions, angles and existing loads so joints and trusses can also be reviewed.

The note on page 29 requires engineering review for a show load of 150,000 lb or more and for plots running around or under the centerhung scoreboard. The introductory paragraph says “exceeds,” but the note includes the exact value: treat 150,000 lb as requiring review. A lower weight does not remove other restrictions.

The manual also specifies reductions for load orientation and members supporting the house truss winch system. Do not finalize points from the small PDF diagram: obtain a legible current plot, the locations of those systems and acceptance of the event loads. If a point or weight changes, update the calculations and review before lifting.

Can all service ratings be added together as available power?

No. Electrical Show Power, page 12, distinguishes services from shared transformers. For each of Upstage Left and Upstage Right, it lists 3 services at 400 A and 2 at 200 A, 120/208 V three-phase, assigned to groups (1) and (3), respectively. Each group refers to 500 kVA and 1,387 A; adding outlet ratings does not create additional supply capacity.

The isolated services on each side are 2 at 200 A and 1 at 400 A, assigned to groups (2) and (4), each rated 225 kVA and 624 A. Prepare the LED, audio and lighting load schedule and obtain an allocation by service, phase and transformer that includes other event loads.

Before specifying distribution and cabling, confirm connectors, protection, neutral, ground and who makes the connection. The table does not identify the connector; “isolated” does not mean uninterruptible power. Do not energize equipment until the responsible electrical professional has verified compatibility and authorized the connection.

What if the manual gives two sizes for an LED surface?

Do not guess or scale the file to hide the difference. Page 17 retains a Non-Magic Events sheet, version 1.4 dated February 28, 2011; the overall manual update does not establish that every format was revised. Pages 17–18 show this Wedges discrepancy:

Do the event floor dimensions approve a ground-supported LED wall?

No. Seating and Floor Specifications, page 32, provides approximate dimensions and event-dependent seat counts. That table does not provide a floor load rating for individual supports or wheels. The freight elevator rating does not settle this check either.

On the event-specific plan, place the stage, display, bases, control position, aisles and accessible areas. Prepare weights, support footprints, wheel loads and surface protection, including the ice cover when applicable. If a limit is missing or the display obstructs circulation, leave that part unresolved and revise the layout before moving equipment.

Who contracts labor, and what must be defined for operation?

Stagehand Services, page 31, says the promoter or building licensee contracts labor from companies approved by the City of Orlando. Confirm the current list and contracted scope; the list does not establish general AV exclusivity or GLMedia authorization.

Stage labor enters at the employee entrance at South Street and Hughey Avenue. Page 15 provides for venue technical staff to collaborate on show day; discuss additional needs during the advance. Page 40 requires a written show-stop procedure: define who decides, how the decision is communicated and what happens next. A credential does not replace authorization to connect or suspend equipment.

How should effects and permit review be prepared?

Permitting, page 28, includes special effects, pyrotechnics, gases and other uses requiring review. It refers to 10 business days before the event; do not treat this as a universal deadline or guaranteed approval period. Confirm the process, lead time and documents for the specific effect and location with the venue and authority.

For fireworks, the city page reviewed requests insurance, a federal explosives license or permit, specifications and a site plan. That process does not by itself resolve haze, lasers or other effects. As technical preparation, record the equipment, location, product used and sequence; keep the effect out of the operating program until the required acceptances are in place. Do not alter fire protection systems to perform a test.