Advertisement

With Big 12 entry looming, UCF embarks on $12 million arena upgrades

jason beede, orlando sentinel
·2 min read

A new basketball court, renovations to practice facilities and other significant updates are coming soon to Addition Financial Arena, the Venue and the surrounding Knights Plaza, UCF Athletics announced Wednesday night.

The enhancements are part of the department’s Mission 12 fundraising initiative focused on bringing UCF’s facilities up to speed with the Knights’ new counterparts in the Big 12 Conference, which the program joins officially July 1.

The upgrades will include a number of areas within the basketball and volleyball programs and the school’s athletics village. The total cost for the more than 40 separate projects is $12 million, UCF said.

“This long and comprehensive list of upgrades will enhance not only the gameday experiences but also day-to-day environments for our student-athletes, coaches and staff,” UCF athletics director Terry Mohajir said in a press release.

“All these projects give us an opportunity to enhance our success as we enter a new age for our institution as part of the Big 12,” he added.

Work on the list of individual projects will begin immediately, UCF said.

The planned improvements include, but are not limited to:

Addition Financial Arena

  • New basketball game court

  • Suite enhancements

  • Black & Gold Club seat replacements

  • Student entrance enhancements

  • Exterior lighting upgrades

  • Interior wall paint updates

Venue

  • Renovation of training and competition facility for volleyball

  • Renovations of men’s and women’s basketball practice facilities

  • Addition of LED video board for volleyball

  • Upgrade of show/competition lights

  • Interior painting

  • Weight room enhancements

  • New audio system

  • Technology updates

  • Athletic training room expansion

  • Creation of a sports performance lab

  • New rehab/treatment pools in an athletics training room

  • Team area enhancements

  • Men’s and women’s basketball film room upgrades

  • Men’s and women’s basketball office suite renovations

“Everyone with connections to our men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball programs will appreciate the enhancements within those two facilities,” Mohajir said. “Plus, a number of our other teams — tennis, golf, track and field, baseball, spirit — have locker rooms in the Venue or use strength and conditioning and sports medicine areas there.

“We anticipate upsized interest in our home events based on our upcoming Big 12 membership, and all these renovations will substantially improve the in-venue experiences.”

The plans also include multiple projects within Knights Plaza, the student residential areas and retail spaces surrounding Addition Financial Arena.

Last month Mohajir shared updated plans for UCF’s football campus which is included in the Mission 12 initiative.

A standalone football operations building, McNamara Cove, the new Gateway, Nicholson Plaza and upgrades to the sports center are all part of Phase One in UCF’s football campus plans.

Phase Two, which can’t begin until Phase One is fully funded, features a new west side tower to the stadium. That would replace the current Roth Tower.

Email Jason Beede at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @therealBeede.