UCF AD Todd Stansbury's $72M "wish-list for completing eight projects" by '20 includes a $1.4M “open-air club tweak to Bright House Networks Stadium, which would include a tiki bar with a Margaritaville-feel, serving alcohol and food,” according to Abraham Aboraya of the ORLANDO BUSINESS JOURNAL. Pending funding, construction on the open-air club "would start next January" and finish by August '14. Stansbury said he wants people to see "palm trees and flip-flops" when UCF football games are on TV. Among Stansbury's other planned projects is a 23,000-square-foot, $6.5M facility to house administration, which will serve as a "twin facility for the Wayne Densch Student-Athlete Leadership Center." There also is a planned $5M, "three-phase expansion of the tennis complex” (ORLANDO BUSINESS JOURNAL, 3/29 issue). Stansbury said that UCF is “currently doing structural testing at the stadium to see if the bar can be built without ‘significant structural changes.’” Stansbury, who formerly served as Oregon State Univ. Exec Associate AD, said, “The idea actually came from when we were in the process at Oregon State in expanding our stadium, one thing focused on is in premium seat areas was making the club and the loge and the suites really kind of take on the northwest feel, so when you were in those areas you knew you were somewhere in the northwest and taking on that personality.” He added that UCF "will consider different revenue models,” including "tying the club to a seat or as a standalone amenity for which fans can pay.” Stansbury: “We’re at 92-plus percent capacity in the club, 100-percent capacity in the suites with people waiting for suites. What are our other options? It’s obvious our fans are looking for those kind of amenities” (ORLANDOSENTINEL.com, 4/2).
COURT REPORT: In Orlando, Paul Tenorio reported UCF will “debut a new court" at UCF Arena next season when it begins play in the soon-to-be-renamed Big East. The school said that the new court will “come from an NCAA tournament site,” and will “feature a darker wood color and new center court design.” The new conference logo “will be added to the design and it will also include social media aspects, including the UCF official Twitter account -- @UCFKnights -- in front of the scorer's table and a #ChargeOn hashtag in front of each bench” (ORLANDOSENTINEL.com, 4/1).
