Former Citrus Bowl home to assistance center for those affected by massacre

ORLANDO, Fla. — The stadium formerly known as the Orlando Citrus Bowl will be used as a family assistance center to assist those affected by the shooting massacre early Sunday at Pulse nightclub.

The site, now known as Camping World Stadium, will be a hub for legal aid, counseling, health care and more for family members of the deceased, those suffering physical and emotional injuries as a result of the shooting, club staff and patrons, and others directly impacted by the shooting, the office of mayor Buddy Dyer said.

“Sometimes, it’s just a place to come, even if you don’t need a piece of information, you don’t need help with funeral arrangements, you just need to be in the company of people who care, and people who are going through the same place,” Orange County mayor Teresa Jacobs said. “So if we accomplish that, and we have a place where people can gather, then we’ve accomplished a great deal.”

The 70,000-seat stadium opened at 10 a.m. Wednesday and will remain open until 8 p.m. It will operate the same hours Thursday and Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. On Sunday, it will be open from noon to 8 p.m., with future hours to be determined.