As Orlando City Soccer kicked off their 2016 season at the Citrus Bowl on Tuesday night, a looming lawsuit could delay construction of their new stadium in Parramore.

“You cannot build this soccer stadium on this property, nor can you sell it,” began Plaintiff Lawanna Gelzer.

Gelzer’s lawsuit is contesting the sale of once publicly owned land on Church Street in Parramore to private owners with the Orlando City Soccer Club.

According to courthouse records, the lawsuit was served last Wednesday but as of Tuesday night, the City of Orlando contends they have still not been officially served.

“Last time I checked we had not been served,” Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer shared at Monday’s city council meeting.

“You’ve been served Mayor Dyer, trust me. You have,” Gelzer said.

“I don’t trust you,” Dyer said.

“You have been served… but you know what you’re always kinda disrespectful to suffering people but you know what? You don’t bother me,” Gelzer said.

“You don’t bother me either. I will go look at that as soon as we’re done,” Dyer said.

“There’s a law on the Florida statute saying if you use eminent domain to seize any property for public use, then it’s okay. But if for some apparent reason, you cannot then turn around sell it, lease it or rent for 10 years to a private owner,” Gelzer explained in a one-on-one interview.

Meanwhile, as Orlando City Soccer held their first practice of the year Tuesday night, the club said the previously delayed stadium construction is moving ahead as scheduled.

“If you go to the site right now, the first two or three tiers of the terrace are in place and the steel starts to go vertical, probably in the next 10 days,” explained Orlando City Soccer Club President Phil Rawlins.

Orlando City Soccer says this will be there last season here at the Citrus Bowl because they’re sure they will be able to build their new stadium in the next 13 months be open for the 2017 season.”

“I think we’ll find it will be proven to be a very frivolous lawsuit so I’ve got no problems with that at all. I don’t think the city has either,” Rawlins shared. 

“No one has acted in anything but the best interest of the city and the citizens and we’re delighted about where the stadium is and really, really excited to get it finished up at the end of this year,” Rawlins added.

However, Gelzer believes the law is clearly on her side when it comes to eminent domain.

In the lawsuit, Gelzer contends 639 West Church Street is part of the soccer stadium land.

Gelzer contends that parcel was awarded to the City of Orlando by eminent domain, which she said means it can’t be sold again for 10 years, which could invalidate the sale.

“You should have did your homework first, you should have crossed your T’s and dotted your I’s. Why you get to break the law and I don’t,” Gelzer continued.

Gelzer said she’s not against soccer, just the location in her Parramore neighborhood.

“The community is saying stay at the Citrus Bowl, go out on International Drive. If you had went to the proper place, it would be built by now,” Gelzer concluded.

The City of Orlando has 20 calendar days after being served to file a written response to the complaint with the clerk of the Circuit Court of the Ninth Judicial Circuit.