UCF BOT approves proposed expansion of football stadium
UCF‘s Board of Trustees approved the proposed expansion of the Roth Tower at FBC Mortgage Stadium.
The stadium expansion is part of a new football campus, first proposed by UCF athletics director Terry Mohajir in 2021.
The project includes building McNamara Cove and the Sharon and Marc Hagle Gateway, which will serve as an activation area on gamedays and provide an additional entryway to the football stadium.
It also calls for building the Taylor A. Gerring Football Center. This two-story standalone football operations building will house football coaches’ offices, meeting rooms, and a student-athlete lounge.
“This is another exciting day in the trajectory for UCF Athletics,” Mohajir said in a statement. “Not only will the new tower provide us with new resources, but this will also allow us to expand the premium offerings and entry-level seating options to maintain one of the most affordable tickets among the power four conferences in college football.
UCF unveils new details, timeline for football stadium expansion
“I’d like to thank Mayor Demings, the Orange County Commissioners, and the Tourism Development Council for seeing the value that UCF Athletics brings to Orlando in tourism and especially the UCF Board of Trustees and Dr. Cartwright for their confidence to move forward with such an exciting project.”
The Roth Tower renovations will include 1,236 club seats, 34 loge boxes, 34 skybays and 25 luxury suites. The project, which involves expanding approximately 58,000 square feet, is estimated to cost $88 million.
The expanded premium seating options will help the school generate $2.4 million in new revenue annually.
Orange County commissioners approved $90 million of tourist development tax funds for the football stadium project in October. With the Board of Trustees’ approval, the measure will be signed and returned for final consideration before its June 2024 meeting. Once it receives final approval, the school will receive up to $10 million annually, starting in December.
While the project is funded through the TDT funds, UCF plans to use a $70 million bank loan and $30 million in bonds for short-term financing.
The tower project is still pending final approvals from Orange County officials and the Florida Board of Governors.
Construction is expected to begin in December, and the project is expected to be finished sometime in the summer before the start of the 2026 football season.
Matt Murschel can be reached at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com