Who is Orlando Dreamers' founder, Pat Williams? Meet the former exec aiming to bring baseball team to Central Florida

Pat Williams was a partner in the foundation of the Orlando Magic and has started the process to bring a big league baseball club to the city.

Williams unveiled the planned stadium's blueprints in an effort to entice a Major League Baseball franchise to Orlando. The team would be called the Orlando Dreamers.

"Hey, Orlando political and business leaders, it's time to jump on the Pat Williams baseball bandwagon! Let's bring the Tampa Bay Rays or an expansion team to the City Beautiful! Here's my column on Williams' stadium-reveal press conference today: https://bit.ly/3LRyce9" - bianchiwrites

Williams held a news conference on Tuesday to reveal the potential design for the new stadium. He beleives that finding out how much of a demand there is for an MLB team in Central Florida is the first and most crucial step.

"Will Orange County back Pat Williams’ $1.7 billion stadium plan to lure Tampa Bay Rays? https://trib.al/GNw67nY "- orlandosenitel

The proposed stadium would cost $1.7 billion and include office space, retail stores, around 1,000 hotel rooms, eateries. It would be a fantastic home for a Major League Baseball franchise.

Pat Williams' awards & recognitions

Pat Williams helped found the NBA team Orlando Magic and was also their senior vice president. He has spoken to thousands of executives in organizations ranging from Fortune 500 businesses and national associations to colleges and NGOs as one of America's best motivational speakers.

Williams spent seven years in the Philadelphia Phillies system (two as a minor league catcher and five in the front office) after serving seven years in the United States Army. He also spent three years in the Minnesota Twins organization.

He caught for the Deacon baseball team, including at the 1962 Atlantic Coast Conference Championship squad. Williams is a member of the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame.

In 2001, he was admitted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame. At the International Career Development Conference held by DECA in 2011, he received the DECA Entrepreneurial Spirit Award.

Pat Williams' selection as the 2012 recipient of the John Bunn Award for remarkable lifetime accomplishments to the sport was made public on February 24.