UCF's proposed FBC Mortgage Stadium expansion is scheduled to begin in December and is expected to be completed before the start of the 2026 football season.
UCF board documents revealed details of the project, including a proposed schedule. BOT is planning a workshop/retreat on March 28 to discuss the latest plans and financial status of the project.
The Orlando Business Journal first reported the details.
The renovation of Ross Tower will include 1,236 club seats, 34 log boxes, 34 sky bays and 25 luxury suites, according to documents. The project includes an approximately 58,000 square foot expansion and is estimated to cost $88 million.
The club's seating area will expand from 900 seats to 1,236 seats, an increase of 40% to approximately 16,000 square feet. Luxury suites will increase from 25 to 59, and the school will offer fans a “sky crib” level that will offer outdoor patio suites with upscale food, drinks, beer and wine.
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Expanding premium seating options will help the school generate $2.4 million in new revenue annually.
The expansion includes improvements to the ground level entrance and the addition of an elevator to accommodate the increased number of residents. New indoor and outdoor gathering spaces will be available during football season and throughout the year for special events. Additional toilets and perks will be added.
The tower will also expand the press box and media space to ensure “UCF's football stadium is perfectly positioned to host and broadcast events, highlighting Orange County and Orlando as a sports and competition destination.” .
UCF selected AECOM as the project architect and Barton Malow as the construction manager.
The stadium expansion is part of a new football campus that was first proposed by UCF athletics director Terry Mohajir in 2021. The project includes the construction of McNamara Cove and the Sharon and Mark Hagle Gateway, which will serve as an activation area on match days, as well as an additional entrance to the soccer stadium.
Also called for is the construction of the Taylor A. Gerring Football Center. This two-story separate football operations building will house his football coaches' offices, conference rooms, and a student-athlete lounge. Currently, the football offices are located in the Wayne Densch Sports Complex.
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The project coincides with UCF's entry into the Big 12 and will raise additional funds for the athletic department's Mission XII campaign.
Orange County commissioners in October approved spending $90 million in tourism development taxes on the soccer stadium project. If the Board of Trustees approves the measure, it will be signed and sent back for final consideration before its June 2024 meeting. Once signed, the school will receive up to $10 million annually starting in December.
The project is being funded through the TDT Fund, but UCF will use a $70 million bank loan and $30 million in bonds for short-term financing.
UCF expects revenue to increase when the project is completed in 2027, coinciding with the school receiving the full amount of conference revenue. As a new member, the school will only get a share of her roughly $18 million annual revenue through 2026.
Design and development is expected to be completed by September, construction is expected to begin in December, and the project is expected to be completed by the summer before the start of the 2026 football season, according to documents.
The existing tower will remain operational during the 2025 football season, but construction will occur on the north, south, and west sides of the building during the week.
Matt Murschel can be reached at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com.
