UCF Knights Open $12 Million Roth Athletics Center at Kenneth G. Dixon Athletics Village
By John Heisler – UCF Knights // September 23, 2020
two-story 37,288-square-foot building for football
ABOVE VIDEO: Kenneth G. Dixon UCF Athletics Village.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA (UCF Knights) – UCF Athletics officially opened the Roth Athletics Center on Monday as the latest addition to the Kenneth G. Dixon Athletics Village.
The $12-million project encompasses a two-story 37,288-square-foot building attached to the north end of the existing Wayne Densch Sports Center (home to UCF football), adjacent to Nicholson Fieldhouse, the Knights’ indoor practice venue.
The new facility serves as the headquarters for UCF Athletics and includes much-needed space for the football program and new team facilities for the men’s and women’s soccer programs.
“We’re thrilled to be able to open a beautiful, modern, technology-based home for UCF Athletics and all of our administrative units,” says vice president and director of athletics Danny White.
“We also are adding significant team space for the football and soccer programs that will greatly enhance the student-athlete experience in those sports.
“We are especially thankful to Jerry and Susan Roth for their leadership and their commitment to make this facility a reality.”
Several years ago, Jerry and Susan Roth made a significant leadership gift to initiate the $12-million fundraising effort for the project which was subsequently named in recognition of the Roth’s generosity.
“Our family has supported the UCF Knights for nearly 40 years and hope the Roth Athletics Center helps sustain our remarkable growth and momentum in delivering a top-25 athletics program,” said Jerry and Susan Roth.
The RAC now houses the following intercollegiate athletics units:
–Second-floor administrative offices for White and his executive staff, brand advancement, business operations, championship resources, corporate partnerships, facility and event management, human resources and risk management, information technology, premium sales, sales and service, strategic communications and travel operations.
Those departments had been located in Roth Tower suites (the football press box) and other operational event workspace.
–Second-floor coaching offices for men’s golf, women’s golf, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, women’s rowing, men’s soccer and women’s soccer.
UCF coaching staffs had been located in various spaces, including The Venue and Roth Tower. The new building will bring those programs together in one facility with central administration and support units.
–Ground-level team facilities provided for men’s soccer and women’s soccer, including locker rooms, training room and meeting space.
Both programs had been located in The Venue. The RAC provides both teams facilities upgrades (adjacent to their competition venue) and frees up additional space in The Venue for men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball and track.
–Ground-level team facilities for football that include 10 meeting rooms and a team lounge.
The football unit, located in the Wayne Densch Sports Center since 2003, has experienced a need for several years for additional space due to rapid growth of the program and its staff.
Location of the site within the UCF athletics footprint is advantageous based on adjacencies to other facilities. The integration of the administrative headquarters with the football program also provides for overall program business and development efficiencies.
“In our efforts to deliver a top-25 athletics program and to recruit and retain championship-caliber student-athletes and coaches, UCF Athletics aims to provide world-class athletics facilities,” says White. “This is the latest example of that commitment.”
UCF announced in February 2017 a $25 million (now $30 million) facilities vision for the Kenneth G. Dixon Athletics Village. The Roth Athletics Center is fully funded through the charitable support of many Shareholders Society donors (the major gift program that celebrates and recognizes donors of $25,000 or more for UCF Athletics).
Among many benefactors who have helped make this project possible, UCF Athletics recognizes these additional major donors for the Roth Athletics Center:
– Mary and Dick Nunis
– Wharton-Smith, Inc.
– Ron and Julie Cartwright
– Bob and Carol Garvy
– Lockhart Family
– Michael and Loretta Corey
– Harris and Carinda Katz
– Vito and Dana Scutero
– Vince and Joyce Virga
– Brian Wedding
– Jim and Julia Rosengren
– Mark Forman
UCF Athletics will hold a private open house for the Roth Athletics Center once it is prudent to play host to such an event.
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