The University of Central Florida has announced that it will be doing a $25 million upgrade to its student athlete village. One of its additional feature is a "lazy river" patterned after world-class resorts. The upgrade looks exciting but how does it benefit students, especially athletes, on the whole?
According to Danny White, UCF's Director of Athletics, the main goal of the upgrade is to attract recruits and win championships so that UCF will become one of the perennial Top 25 athletics program.
If seen on a student's perspective, the goal seems like it will just benefit the university. However, the athletes of the university will largely benefit from it since they are the ones who will propel the university to the top. In fact, it is stated in the campaign goal that the upgrade will also empower student athletes to pursue a degree while staying on top of their games.
In a promotional video for the said campaign, White emphasized those three goals and added that it will be the best athletic village in the United States. Hearing the plans and looking at the artist's rendering of the village, it is indeed something to drool over.
There will be a "Recovery Cove" where the main feature is the above-mentioned lazy river. But that's not the only thing included in the upgrade - $2 million will go to the football expansion, another $2 million will be for the baseball expansion, $1 million for the nutrition center, and $5 million for the total enhancement of the athletic village.
The upgrade campaign called "We Rise and Conquer" will be privately funded by alumni and charitable gift commitments. So far, there are no details when construction for the upgrade will begin. Once the upgrade is finished, special access will be given to donors.
