About Us
The Kissimmee Civic Center is located in beautiful Central Florida and is part of a charming and historic downtown business district. It is close in proximity to several attractions, local restaurants and abundant natural resources. Kissimmee's pristine water front park setting will enhance the stay of your guests and help to make your event extra special.
The Civic Center is highly accessible with transportation hubs within minutes of the center. They include Orlando International, one of America’s premier airports just 20 minutes away; the City of Kissimmee’s quaint, yet highly economical regional airport only five minutes from the Civic Center; one of Central Florida’s few Amtrak depots is just 100 feet away from our front door; along with highly accessible car, limo, taxi, and bus rental services.
We are confident that your stay in Kissimmee will offer unlimited opportunities to enjoy yourself before, during and after your event at the Kissimmee Civic Center. Best of all, the Civic Center's staff is dedicated to making your event successful by working step-by-step with you and your event planner.
History
The Civic Center was built in 1994 and is owned by the City of Kissimmee. Designed as a multi-purpose facility in the heart of the community, it has blossomed into a major venue for professional and amateur sports, community fitness and wellness club, in addition to a premier ballroom/conference center for the business and residential communities. The property is one of the crown jewels of the Parks & Recreation inventory and managed by the Recreation Division. The Kissimmee Civic Center has a support staff dedicated to making your events spectacular, your recreation and fitness membership convenient and fun.
Kissimmee's Name
Local historians have offered many variations of the origin of the City's name. Most agree that Kissimmee is a modern spelling of a tribal word. The book, Florida Indians and the Invasion from Europe by Jerald T. Milanich, links "Kissimmee" to a village of the Jororo, one of Florida's lesser-known tribes. Historian John Hann researched Spanish documents about missions established to convert the Jororo and other groups to Christianity in the late 1600s.
Spanish records indicate that a mission was built near the tribe's main village, also called Jororo. Another mission was called Atissimi. Milanich writes, "Hann suggests that the name Atissimi, sometimes given as Jizimi and Tisimi, may be the source of the modern place name Kissimmee." A 1752 Spanish map used the name "Cacema," which has evolved into today's spelling, Kissimmee.