WINTER HAVEN -- City business and civic leaders have an idea for the dome that dates back 37 years: Paint the dome orange.
After working with a design consultant, the Winter Haven Area Chamber of Commerce, along with several other business and civic organizations, told city officials that if the dome is repainted orange with some modern accents, more organizations would want to rent the 18,000-square-foot facility.
"Even from the historical standpoint, this makes sense," said chamber Executive Director Bob Gernert. The original exterior of the dome, designed in 1963, was painted orange to honor the state's largest citrus county.
"The consultant reminded us that baseball training camp is in town for only six weeks," he said. "Because of that, some people might have been confused by what the dome was used for."
While the group included the city's Jaycees, Lion's Club, the Florida Citrus Showcase and Main Street Winter Haven, representatives of the Cleveland Indians declined the invitation to participate. The Indians said this was a city matter, not one for them.
"There was nothing scientific about the selection of the groups who took part," Gernert said, "but they all liked the idea of going in this direction."
The proposal, designed by Winter Haven-based consultant Susan Waddell, calls for a rich orange dome with tan and dark yellow diamonds painted onto the walls beneath it. Leaf green accentuates the trim, with dark red for the columns outside.
"This is a more avant-garde, more whimsical design than what we've had before. We were careful not to get 'circus-y,'" the chamber's Gernert said.
The recommendation also asks to retain the Indians' Chief Wahoo emblem and the "Winter Haven, Florida" logo on the back of the dome, facing the Chain of Lakes park.
With a brighter, more attractive design, the dome could be considered for many more civic events, Waddell told the city Thursday. Business and civic leaders remarked that the colorful design would help redefine and renew the building's appeal.
The groups also told the city about the need for air conditioning to make the facility more attractive for groups with an eye for using the dome.
City officials have been anxious to repaint and redesign the exterior of the dome. Gernert said the chamber wanted to act quickly with this presentation, and will likely present the city with a number of ideas for events that could be housed in the dome within two weeks.
"The chamber would have hosted the Whistle Stop in the dome in a heartbeat -- if it had been decorated appropriately," Gernert said. The chamber spent about $1,600 for tents for the Whistle Stop, tents that would have been useless during a rainstorm typical during this time of year.
The chamber could also host its two yearly job fairs and its business exposition in the dome, he said.
At the same time, the dome would not be a replacement for Nora Mayo Hall, a popular venue. The difference, Gernert said, is carpeting. "You can't serve a barbecue dinner at Nora Mayo. The dome," he said, "you can hose out."
