ORLANDO, Florida. – Orange County commissioners will decide whether to spend $3 million from the tourism development tax to bring the NFL Pro Bowl back to Orlando in 2025.

Florida Citrus Sports made the request at Friday's county Tourism Development Council meeting and the council voted to forward the recommendation to the county board.

“This allows Florida Citrus Sports to now begin the negotiation process with the NFL. So the deal is not quite done yet, but it is the first step in the process,” said Steve Hogan, CEO of Florida Citrus Sports and head of the event management company that brings sporting events to the region.

Five NFL Pro Bowls have already taken place in Orlando, including the one earlier this year.

[RELATED: Orange County’s tourist tax collections break records. Here is what the money is used for and why]

“We don't have an NFL team here, so I think it's a blessing for the kids of this community to see 88 of the best players on the planet from any team play on their field,” Hogan said.

The money is to come from revenue from the Tourist Development Tax, a 6 percent tax on short-term rentals, such as hotel rooms.

“Our tourism development tax raises over $350 million annually,” said Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings.

The money can only be spent on projects that benefit the tourism industry. Currently, the money is used for tourism advertising and the Visit Orlando tourism agency, the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando's Kia Center, the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center and Camping World Stadium, as well as various arts and cultural programs in the county.

According to Casandra Matej, president and CEO of Visit Orlando, last year's figures show that Orlando remains the country's most popular tourist destination. “We welcomed over 74 million visitors, but the most important thing is that the number of international travelers increased.”

If the commission approves funding for the Pro Bowl bid, we will know shortly after July 4th whether Orlando will have another Pro Bowl in 2025.

The headlines of the day in a few minutes with Your Florida daily newspaper: