President Hitt announced Tuesday to community leaders that UCF is pursuing plans to expand its campus to downtown Orlando.
“In the spirit of progress and subject to obtaining the necessary state funding and approvals, UCF – the most popular student choice in Florida and the second-largest university in America – will expand in downtown Orlando!” Hitt said.
UCF spokesman Chad Binette said the expansion could cost anywhere from $150 million to $200 million over the years of construction, but said the exact amount is not known because this project is in the early stages.
“It depends on how far we go what the overall price tag will be,” Hitt said. “I think we’re looking at $150 million to $200 million, but over a period of years. That’s always speculative. If we were to have another budget problem, an economic downturn, that could delay it.”
UCF is partnering with Valencia College for the new downtown campus, which is planned to be able to teach over 10,000 students.
There is no word on when the expansion will start or what programs will be definitely moving to the downtown campus, but Hitt said some UCF programs would thrive in the downtown atmosphere.
“The Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy and the UCF Center for Emerging Media are downtown, it is logical to look at bringing complementary digital media and visual arts programs to join them,” Hitt said. “And we believe WUCF-TV, with its strong community emphasis as the home of PBS in Central Florida, will thrive with a downtown location.”
Hitt said details are still being worked out, but he is confident that UCF made the right choice to expanding the future of UCF.
