UCF Stadium Rendering

[sunshine]

[Topher1]

Looks small, but nice. Is there any information on how the stadium will relate to the current road infrastructure on campus, ie., whether or not this will be in a location that students can walk to, at least from certain parking garages. I'm also concerned about how much surface parking will be implemented (the 2nd rendering shows some ), since UCF has finally realized recently that garages are the way to go.

[bobliocatt]

It looks decent. I didn't expect to see any renderings so soon. In the end though, I wish they would continue to play a little closer to downtown.

[prahaboheme]

Not bad looking. Pretty much looks like the rest of the school, so much damn brick.

[prahaboheme]

If the stadium on campus helps to rally school spirit and do other things that are beneficial then I am all for it.

[OrlandoJoe]

The stadium on campus is the way to go. It will help a lot with school spirit and attendance at football games. It will also bring alumni and central floridians to the main campus. I am still amazed on how many people that I meet in this area have never been to the main campus.

Brick is the way to go...it fits better with a university image.

There are four parking garages already in place with another one under construction for the new student housing. There are also more planned. One problem is there has been so many objections to the UCF 2000 master plan that one garage was delayed so much that the cost has gone up 2 million dollars.

Go to this website to see parking ideas...Stadium layout

UCF already has a good shuttle system and many of the garages are empty on weekends so parking should not be an issue.

[accatt2204]

I wonder how this will effect downtown. Im betting not much, but with the lack of UCF games downtown, would there if at all be a noticeable change in downtown activity? (ie:college night clubbers)

[Topher1]

I wonder how this will effect downtown. Im betting not much, but with the lack of UCF games downtown, would there if at all be a noticeable change in downtown activity? (ie:college night clubbers)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The absence of 4-5 afternoon football games a year at the Citrus Bowl will have no effect on Orlando's downtown nightlife. Orange Ave. is very established as a nightlife destination with or without the stadium (which is seperated from central downtown by some seriously undesirable neighborhoods). Downtown does well the other 47 weekends a year, so I don't think this will hurt it much.

[F-L-A]

I don't like it.

[GregoryMCSE]

As a UCF grad I love it. We need our own stadium.

[sunshine]

UCF offers early glimpse of planned campus stadium

By David Damron | Sentinel Staff Writer

Posted March 31, 2005

The University of Central Florida on Wednesday unveiled its first detailed drawings of the brick-trimmed stadium it wants to build on campus, one day before school leaders receive a report on whether the long-sought football facility is feasible.

Those findings, to be released today at a board of trustees meeting, are expected to endorse building a stadium. But the details about financing, parking, traffic and other potential impacts of the project, on and off campus, will be disclosed both to trustees and the public for the first time.

The stadium in the renderings, now estimated to cost roughly $43 million, would have four club levels, a video-screen scoreboard, brick facing outside and 48 rows of stands with seating for 45,000 people.

UCF officials are hoping the stadium, if approved next month by trustees, could be ready in time for the first home game of the Golden Knights' 2006 season. The team now plays its home games at Orlando's aging Citrus Bowl.

Wednesday's unveiling was geared partly to stunt concerns that UCF would build a plain, unattractive steel-frame structure, rather than a more-pleasing concrete facility with a price tag exceeding $100 million, something it can't afford.

Kansas City-based 360 Architecture developed the design drawings released Wednesday. The company has worked on various stadiums and expansions, including projects at the University of Notre Dame and Southern Methodist University.

"Our objective, sent to the team of architects, was to develop a top-level stadium that would be proud to be on any campus in this country," Athletic Director Steve Orsini said.

The brick facade alone is estimated to cost $2 million. University officials are hoping private contributions, along with ticket and concession sales, can cover the cost of the entire project.

UCF President John Hitt said the stadium would host six or seven football games a year and no other music or other sporting events, except for a homecoming concert and presidential rallies every four years.

Hitt pledged to "memorialize" this lineup into official policy, which requires a two-thirds vote of trustees to overturn.

Dismissing questions raised by campus neighbors about parking and traffic issues, Hitt said UCF hosts tens of thousands of students and cars each weekday. Allowing similar crowds on a few Saturdays should cause no major problems, he said.

"I think people are exaggerating the magnitude and extent of the problems," Hitt said.

No early data or findings on traffic and other such issues were available Wednesday, though.

UCF contracted seven consultants -- some working together -- to compile data on traffic, environmental impact, financing, design and other issues related to the stadium. Each will release a report on those findings today.

The Orlando Sentinel and residents of the nearby neighborhoods have asked in recent weeks to inspect portions of the feasibility study, or to look at early drafts or memos on its preliminary findings.

But school officials said that, as of late Wednesday, not one piece of paper had arrived from any of its consultants.

"It doesn't exist," Hitt said about any memos, drafts or other documents related to the two-month, $150,000-plus study.

Season-ticket holder Jeanette Lobelsaid she was disappointed, but not surprised that UCF would hold back findings from its study until today.

The UCF alumnus and her husband live in nearby Carillon, and both want a stadium. They just don't want it on the northern edge of campus by their McCulloch Road neighborhood, where Wednesday's drawings tentatively site it.

University officials view the north part of campus favorably because it now houses sports fields and facilities, and eventually, three close parking garages.

Lobel said UCF's handling of information fits a pattern: Possible stadium plans were left out of the campus master plan last fall, and the meetings with nearby residents started only after the school was pressured to do it, and only a couple of weeks before trustees are scheduled to approve the concept.

"How can we refute anything if it's the first time we're seeing it?" Lobel said. "It just makes it so we can't be prepared."

She and others contend that UCF's meetings with residents are window dressing to blunt any public-relations problems from the stadium issue. Lobel doubts today's feasibility study will say anything contrary to what Hitt and sports boosters want it to say: Build a 45,000-seat stadium on the north part of campus.

"The decisions have already been made," Lobel said.

School officials insist residents will have input at upcoming homeowners' group meetings, and at a forum set for 6 to 9 p.m. April 11 in the UCF Student Union.

Hitt acknowledged the study's release will not soothe mistrustful residents, but he said no orders were made to keep information back by not putting it on paper and shielding it from public-record laws.

The main reason that only a completed study would be released today is because all seven consultants were rushing to finish it, Hitt said.

"I think it turned out to be a little more complex than they thought it was initially," Hitt said. "We wanted a really good finished product."

David Damron can be reached at [email protected] or 407-420-5311.

[Aessotariq]

It looks somewhat difficult to access from the main campus entrances on Alafaya. Are the internal roads wide enough to handle the stadium traffic?

[cwetteland]

You can get to alot of the parking lots from the main entrance.... but intentionally they want you on foot crossing the campus to soak up the collegiate atmosphere.

[95-Souf]

Wow, way to go UCF... its about time. I think its a perfect fit for the school and its athletic program. They can compete with the rest of the schools in Div 1 Conference USA. Like Louisville's Papa Johns Stadium (1998), they now can set them self apart and one day compete for a National Championship and have a ligitimate home crowd, home field advantage. ON CAMPUS!

[demon]

Wow, way to go UCF... its about time.  I think its a perfect fit for the school and its athletic program.  They can compete with the rest of the schools in Div 1 Conference USA. Like Louisville's Papa Johns Stadium (1998), they now can set them self apart and one day compete for a National Championship and have a ligitimate home crowd, home field advantage. ON CAMPUS!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually Louisville will be moving to the Big East conference.

[bobliocatt]

Well from looking at the campus site plan, it looks like the school has grown a lot, since the last time I visited the campus back in 1997/98. How many students does UCF have now.

[cwetteland]

^ I think about 45K .. about 10th nationally.

[lemonice1]

There will be plenty of parking on campus. The campus has grown but is still small enough that people parking during game day can park anywhere on campus and be within an easy walk of the stadium. I was at the Board of Trustees meeting Wednesday, and it seems like UCF will have no trouble paying for the stadium, using money generated from ticket sales, naming rights, etc.

Another interesting tidbit... plans currently call for about half of the stadium seats to have seat backs. UCF estimates it will cost an additional $1 mil to have seat backs on all the seats. Certainly within budget if students actually want seat backs.

If you have not been to the campus in several years, stop by. You will barely recognize UCF with all the new buildings.

[cwetteland]

There will be plenty of parking on campus.  The campus has grown but is still small enough that people parking during game day can park anywhere on campus and be within an easy walk of the stadium.  I was at the Board of Trustees meeting Wednesday, and it seems like UCF will have no trouble paying for the stadium, using money generated from ticket sales, naming rights, etc.

Another interesting tidbit... plans currently call for about half of the stadium seats to have seat backs.  UCF estimates it will cost an additional $1 mil to have seat backs on all the seats.  Certainly within budget if students actually want seat backs.

If you have not been to the campus in several years, stop by.  You will barely recognize UCF with all the new buildings.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My biggest concern revolves around tailgating. Over the last few years, a pretty robust tailgating culture was emerging at the UCF games. If alot of the parking is in garages, can they keep that culture alive? I think the availability of BEER might have contributed to the party atmosphere as well. I suspect that will be toned down on campus.

--- I'm a frequent attender --- season tickets last year and probably this year --- also me & wife are alums and youngest just got accepted.

[95-Souf]

Actually Louisville will be moving to the Big East conference.

I know that.

But they will still play at PJS.

Louisville and South Florida will become apart of the Big East in 2005