Why You May See an Arts and Experiences Fee in Lake Nona
Lake Nona is a community planned with a long view. Spanning 17 square miles in the city of Orlando and contiguous to Orlando International Airport, it is shaped around the way people live, work, learn and connect today. Across more than a dozen connected neighborhoods, Lake Nona brings together homes, workplaces, schools, parks, trails and gathering spaces in an environment planned for creativity, ambition and everyday life.
Health and wellness, education, technology, sports and the arts all intersect here, creating experiences that go beyond a traditional master-planned community. Lake Nona’s mix of employers, schools, health and wellness destinations, parks, restaurants and gathering spaces, combined with one of Central Florida’s most robust year-round event and programming calendars, helps make the community one of the region’s most active and sought-after places to live, work, learn and play. Areas such as Lake Nona Town Center and Lake Nona West bring together retail, dining, wellness and entertainment in walkable districts with national brands, local favorites and inviting gathering spaces.
For residents and visitors, that means a steady rhythm of Lake Nona events, public art, concerts and things to do just steps from home, office or hotel.
Effective April 2023, Lake Nona implemented an Arts and Experiences Fee, or A&E Fee, on the sale of taxable goods and services within select commercial areas of the community. The A&E Fee is a 1 percent surcharge applied to the first $5,000 of each eligible transaction and appears as a separate line item on customer receipts. It is not an additional tax from the state of Florida, but a community-based surcharge that helps support the public art, infrastructure, programming and experiences that make Lake Nona a distinct destination.
The A&E Fee currently applies to participating businesses in Lake Nona Town Center and Lake Nona West that sell goods and services subject to Florida state sales tax. The fee is charged only on taxable goods and services, and, where applicable, it will be clearly listed on receipts as “Arts and Experiences Fee” or similar language.
These funds provide a dedicated, sustainable source of support for Lake Nona events, experiences and enhancements in the shopping, dining and entertainment districts, helping the community remain a premier place for residents, visitors, businesses and partners over time. As Lake Nona continues to grow, the A&E Fee may be implemented in additional shopping, dining and entertainment areas within the community.
