UCF administrators yesterday “laid out a comprehensive plan for upgrading the university's athletic facilities, beginning with a baseball stadium project expected to break ground in July and including plans for an eventual 10,000-seat expansion of Bright House Networks Stadium,” according to Paul Tenorio of the ORLANDO SENTINEL. The facility development plan, which “includes 13 different projects spanning from an open-air club in the football stadium to a new tennis facility, would cost an estimated total of $69.47 million.” Three projects have “essentially been given the green light already and have projected construction start dates: the Wayne Densch Center for Student Athlete Leadership, an open-air club in Bright House Networks Stadium and the baseball club level seating deck and media facility.” The leadership center and baseball stadium expansion “will be paid for through the university refinancing a line of credit, a move which still must be approved by the Florida Board of Governors.” The open-air club will “come from private funding.” UCF Senior Associate AD/Internal Operations David Hansen said that the school has “heard from several parties who wish to help fund the concept, including companies who may be looking to sponsor the club area.” A two-part plan to expand the football stadium “would come through fundraising.” UCF also hopes to raise money to build “a new football operations building on the south end of the stadium, a renovation of the current Wayne Densch Sports Center to be used by Olympic sports and a new tennis complex” (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 4/25).
