UCF Athletics is excited to announce today that $12 million in competition and training facilities updates are coming to Addition Financial Arena, the Venue, Knights Plaza and adjacent residence halls in preparation for welcoming the next chapter of competition to Orlando.
The enhancements are part of UCF's Mission XII initiative--as Knight teams prepare for Big 12 Conference competition beginning in 2023-24. UCF officially joins the Big 12 July 1, 2023. The upgrades touch a wide variety of areas within the basketball and volleyball programs and the Kenneth G. Dixon Athletics Village, including more than 40 separate projects.
"The start of UCF's competition in the Big 12 Conference will be a series of landmark moments for our athletics teams, alumni and fans," says UCF vice president and director of athletics Terry Mohajir. "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. 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."
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 both 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 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. 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," says Mohajir. "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 improvements include multiple projects within Knights Plaza, the student residence areas and retail spaces surrounding Addition Financial Arena and the Venue.
Work on the list of individual projects will begin immediately.
The 10,000-seat Addition Financial Arena has been home to Knight basketball teams since it opened in 2007 after construction began in November 2005. The original price tag was $80 million.
The 2,500-seat Venue, connected to Addition Financial Arena, was renovated and reopened in April 2008 as an 87,000-square-foot home to Knight volleyball. It also includes practice courts and offices for men's and women's basketball and strength and athletic training facilities for all three programs.
Mission XII objectives are to fully support UCF student-athletes in their NIL endeavors, provide championship-caliber services to UCF student-athletes in their educational and career pursuits, position UCF athletics to win conference and national championships, successfully transition UCF Athletics into the Big 12 Conference, increase the UCF Athletics operating budget to be in the top half upon entry into the Big 12 (then target top third), maximize self-generated revenue through ticket sales/premium seating, ChargeOn Fund support, corporate partnerships, licensing and other avenues—and deliver unique, indigenous athletics facilities for all student-athletes and fans, starting with the UCF football campus.