Thousands of fans gear up for Orlando’s Camping World Bowl

ORLANDO, FLORIDA — With less than 24 hours to go until kickoff at the Camping World Bowl, thousands of fans were already setting up for tailgating in downtown Orlando.

Local businesses were expecting a huge bump in customers before, during and after the game.

“We always anticipate tons and tons of walking, like foot traffic,” Ferg’s Depot event manager Kristen Rahn said. “We’ve got our full staff on tomorrow ready to go and just hope for an awesome and fun day.”

Tailgater Dave Reemsnyder was already making his plans for game day.

“We’re going to set up and tailgate and cook burgers and hot dogs and all that kind of stuff,” he said.

Rhonda Ramsey, part of a group of Virginia Tech fans who traveled to Orlando to see their team face off against Oklahoma State, said she was pleasantly surprised by the setup.

“We just love this venue,” she said. “You can’t get any closer to the stadium anywhere we’ve every camped at any school or city. This is the best.”

Safety precautions set in place before the game prohibit backpacks of any kind and only allows small, clear bags.

Camping World Stadium will also host the Citrus Bowl on Monday and the NFL Pro Bowl on Jan. 29.