Knights Plaza
Encyclopedia
Knights Plaza at University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as Knights Plaza, is an athletic village and shopping center on the main campus of the University of Central Florida
in Orlando
, Florida
, USA
. The plaza consists of housing for 2,000 students in four Towers, 183000 square feet (17,001.3 m²) of commercial space, the 10,000 seat UCF Arena
, and the 2,300 seat Venue at UCF Arena. The design of the plaza and its mixed use appeals to students, faculty and surrounding residents, making it a popular community destination.
Knights Plaza hosts hundreds of events throughout the year, ranging from football games that take over the entire UCF campus to block parties and bingo nights.
athletic programs and was designed as an athletic village. The football team plays in Bright House Networks Stadium, the men's and women's basketball teams in the UCF Arena, and the volleyball team plays in the Venue. The plaza also contains Jay Bergman Field
, a 2000 seat baseball stadium for the men's baseball team, and the 2,000 seat UCF Soccer and Track Stadium.
Knights Plaza and the adjacent Memory Mall are the prime tailgating location during home football games.
, Carlos Mencia
, Bob Saget
and Bill Cosby
; concerts by Elton John
, Reba McIntire, Nine Inch Nails
; and other events such as the Harlem Globetrotters
, Sesame Street Live
, monster truck shows, rodeos, the circus, and a speech by former President
Bill Clinton
.
in the middle of the plaza for students as well as the surrounding community residents to enjoy. Many people set up a picnic, and Knights Plaza food vendors provide at seat food delivery. Prior to the start of the movie, contests, block parties, and other events take place throughout the plaza. Couches and seats are also provided by Knights Plaza.
and local artists. During the 2008 inaugural year, it attracted over 150,000 attendees. The 2009 season includes a 20% larger ice rink with the Arctic Guide Ice Slide, the McDonalds Ferris Wheel, Kris Kringle's Carousel, Santa's Village and many more lights to provide more entertainment for attendees.
The Towers at Knights Plaza (Tower I, II, III, and IV) houses 2,000 students, 500 in each tower. Residents of the Towers Community sign annual contracts to rent their apartments for a full academic year (fall, spring, and summer), whereas residents of all other standard housing communities on the main campus sign academic contracts to rent their rooms only for one or two semesters at a time. The Towers house the majority of the upper-classmen who live on campus.
Residents of the Towers are provided a secure mail room, and entrance to the buildings and apartments are controlled via the students university identification badge. Apartments in the Towers are offered in various plans ranging from 1 bedroom/1 bathroom to 4 bedroom/4 bathroom, with the majority being 4 bedroom/2 bathroom. Tower III is a learning community for students enrolled in the Burnett Honors College
. and most UCF athletes
are housed in Tower IV.
Knights Plaza was initially developed with plans to add additional retail space in two more phases over the coming years. However, due to the difficulties in leasing the original phase, the plans have been delayed and revised. Several of the athletic venues will be expanded and renovated to handle larger crowds, including the completed expansion of the UCF Soccer and Track Stadium to 2,000 seats in 2011, and the planned renovations in 2011 to Jay Bergman Field to add 4,000 seats along with 9 new luxury suites. Other future, yet unplanned, expansions are scheduled to include the expansion of Bright House Networks Stadium to 65,000 seats.
University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...
in Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The plaza consists of housing for 2,000 students in four Towers, 183000 square feet (17,001.3 m²) of commercial space, the 10,000 seat UCF Arena
UCF Arena
The UCF Arena is a multi-purpose arena complex located on the main campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida, USA. It is the home to the UCF Knights men's and women's basketball teams...
, and the 2,300 seat Venue at UCF Arena. The design of the plaza and its mixed use appeals to students, faculty and surrounding residents, making it a popular community destination.
Facilities
Knights Plaza contains many venues to accommodate events of all sizes and forms:- Bright House Networks StadiumBright House Networks StadiumBright House Networks Stadium is the football stadium for the University of Central Florida’s football team, nicknamed the Knights. Located in Knights Plaza on the main campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida, the stadium was the first on-campus stadium in NCAA Division I...
— 45,000 seat stadium - UCF ArenaUCF ArenaThe UCF Arena is a multi-purpose arena complex located on the main campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida, USA. It is the home to the UCF Knights men's and women's basketball teams...
— 10,000 seat arena - The VenueThe Venue at UCF ArenaThe Venue at UCF is a multi-purpose arena located at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida, USA. The arena which was opened in 1991, is home to the UCF's volleyball teams and serves as a practice facility for the university's basketball teams...
— 2,300 seat arena - Jay Bergman FieldJay Bergman FieldJay Bergman Field is a baseball stadium located on the main campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida, USA. The stadium serves as the home of the UCF Knights baseball team.-History:...
- 2,000 seat stadium - UCF Soccer and Track Stadium - 2,000 seat stadium
- Cypress Room Event Center
- IOA Plaza
Events
Athletics
Knights Plaza is home to the UCF KnightsUCF Knights
The UCF Knights are the athletics teams of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. All of UCF's varsity sports teams are known as the Knights, with the women's teams sometimes referred to as the "Lady Knights." The Knights, which includes the university's 16 varsity sports teams,...
athletic programs and was designed as an athletic village. The football team plays in Bright House Networks Stadium, the men's and women's basketball teams in the UCF Arena, and the volleyball team plays in the Venue. The plaza also contains Jay Bergman Field
Jay Bergman Field
Jay Bergman Field is a baseball stadium located on the main campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida, USA. The stadium serves as the home of the UCF Knights baseball team.-History:...
, a 2000 seat baseball stadium for the men's baseball team, and the 2,000 seat UCF Soccer and Track Stadium.
Knights Plaza and the adjacent Memory Mall are the prime tailgating location during home football games.
Farmers Market
Starting in 2009, every Sunday an outdoor farmers market takes place in the open plaza area of Knights Plaza. Over eighty different vendors, sell fresh produce, jewellery, artwork, and other locally made items to students and local area residents.Special Events
The UCF Arena has hosted many performances, such as comedians: Dave ChappelleDave Chappelle
David Khari Webber "Dave" Chappelle is an American comedian, screenwriter, television/film producer, actor, and artist. Chappelle began his film career in the film Robin Hood: Men in Tights in 1993 and continued to star in minor roles in the films The Nutty Professor, Con Air, and Blue Streak. His...
, Carlos Mencia
Carlos Mencia
Carlos Mencia , born Ned Arnel Mencia, is a Honduran-born American comedian, writer, and actor. His style of comedy is often political and involves issues of race, culture, criminal justice, and social class...
, Bob Saget
Bob Saget
Robert Lane "Bob" Saget is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and television host. Although he is best known for his roles as Danny Tanner in Full House, host of America's Funniest Home Videos and Future Ted Mosby on How I Met Your Mother, Saget is also known outside of television for his blue...
and Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby
William Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the...
; concerts by Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, Reba McIntire, Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
; and other events such as the Harlem Globetrotters
Harlem Globetrotters
The Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism, theater and comedy. The executive offices for the team are currently in downtown Phoenix, Arizona; the team is owned by Shamrock Holdings, which oversees the various investments of the Roy E. Disney family.Over...
, Sesame Street Live
Sesame Street Live
Sesame Street Live is the live touring show based on the children's television show Sesame Street.Produced by Minneapolis-based VEE Corporation, the show opened on September 17, 1980, with a production of Sesame Street Live "Missing Bird Mystery" playing at the Met Center in Bloomington, Minnesota...
, monster truck shows, rodeos, the circus, and a speech by former President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
.
Movies on the Plaza
Throughout the year, Knights Plaza plays movies on a two-story outdoor movie screenInflatable movie screen
An inflatable movie screen is an inflatable framework with an attached projection screen. Inflatable screens are used for outdoor movies, film festivals, drive-in theaters, sports, social and other events requiring outdoor projection.- Design :...
in the middle of the plaza for students as well as the surrounding community residents to enjoy. Many people set up a picnic, and Knights Plaza food vendors provide at seat food delivery. Prior to the start of the movie, contests, block parties, and other events take place throughout the plaza. Couches and seats are also provided by Knights Plaza.
Light Up UCF
During the holiday season (November-January), Knights Plaza constructs an outdoor ice rink in front of the arena and hosts events nightly to celebrate the holiday season. During Light Up UCF, a high tech light show consisting of over 75,000 lights dances around the plaza to holiday music, and live concerts are performed by bands such as the Marching KnightsMarching Knights
The Marching Knights is the official marching band of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida, USA....
and local artists. During the 2008 inaugural year, it attracted over 150,000 attendees. The 2009 season includes a 20% larger ice rink with the Arctic Guide Ice Slide, the McDonalds Ferris Wheel, Kris Kringle's Carousel, Santa's Village and many more lights to provide more entertainment for attendees.
Housing
The Towers at Knights Plaza (Tower I, II, III, and IV) houses 2,000 students, 500 in each tower. Residents of the Towers Community sign annual contracts to rent their apartments for a full academic year (fall, spring, and summer), whereas residents of all other standard housing communities on the main campus sign academic contracts to rent their rooms only for one or two semesters at a time. The Towers house the majority of the upper-classmen who live on campus.
Residents of the Towers are provided a secure mail room, and entrance to the buildings and apartments are controlled via the students university identification badge. Apartments in the Towers are offered in various plans ranging from 1 bedroom/1 bathroom to 4 bedroom/4 bathroom, with the majority being 4 bedroom/2 bathroom. Tower III is a learning community for students enrolled in the Burnett Honors College
Burnett Honors College
The Burnett Honors College is an academic college of the University of Central Florida located in Orlando, Florida, USA. The dean of the college is Alvin Y. Wang, Ph.D.-History:In 1998, the UCF Honors Program was granted college status...
. and most UCF athletes
UCF Knights
The UCF Knights are the athletics teams of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. All of UCF's varsity sports teams are known as the Knights, with the women's teams sometimes referred to as the "Lady Knights." The Knights, which includes the university's 16 varsity sports teams,...
are housed in Tower IV.
Retail and Restaurants
Knights Plaza contains 183000 square feet (17,001.3 m²) of retail and restaurant space. The retail stores are located on the streets on both sides of the arena, which lead back to the other stadiums. Additionally, the lobby of the UCF Arena contains a food court as well as interior access to some of the other retail spaces.Restaurants
- Domino's PizzaDomino's PizzaDomino's Pizza, Inc. is an international pizza delivery corporation headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America. Founded in 1960, Domino's is the second-largest pizza chain in the United States and has over 9,000 corporate and franchised stores in 60 countries and all 50 U.S....
- Jimmy John'sJimmy John'sJimmy John's is a franchised sandwich restaurant founded by Jimmy John Liautaud in 1983 and headquartered in Champaign, Illinois. The franchise has over 1000 locations in 39 states and has opened approximately 200 units per year for the last three years...
- Knightro's
- Kyoto Sushi and Grill
- StarbucksStarbucksStarbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
- SubwaySubway (restaurant)Subway is an American restaurant franchise that primarily sells submarine sandwiches and salads. It is owned and operated by Doctor's Associates, Inc. . Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with 35,519 restaurants in 98 countries and territories as of October 25th, 2011...
- Tailgaters Sports Bar & Grill
Retailers
- Barnes & NobleBarnes & NobleBarnes & Noble, Inc. is the largest book retailer in the United States, operating mainly through its Barnes & Noble Booksellers chain of bookstores headquartered at 122 Fifth Avenue in the Flatiron District in Manhattan in New York City. Barnes & Noble also operated the chain of small B. Dalton...
- Bright House NetworksBright House NetworksBright House Networks is a cable television company, the seventh largest cable operator and the sixth largest traditional multiple system operator in the United States owned by Advance/Newhouse, headquartered in Syracuse, New York...
- Knight Aide Pharmacy and Convenience Store
- Mau's Hair and Nails
- The Princeton ReviewThe Princeton ReviewThe Princeton Review is an American-based standardized test preparation and admissions consulting company. The Princeton Review operates in 41 states and 22 countries across the globe. It offers test preparation for standardized aptitude tests such as the SAT and advice regarding college...
- Towers Mail Center
Future
Knights Plaza has had difficulties filling its remaining retail space due to the current economic circumstances. Many have blamed the lack of free parking, leading the university to suspend parking charges in one the plaza's parking garages on non-event days. Nature's Table Cafe went out of business shortly after opening, and several other retailers never opened their doors, resulting in many unoccupied storefronts throughout the plaza. In order to combat this problem and increase retailer confidence, events are held frequently in the plaza and its venues. The remaining retail spaces are slowly filling in with additional retailers, such as Mau's Hair and Nails, which opened in February 2010.Knights Plaza was initially developed with plans to add additional retail space in two more phases over the coming years. However, due to the difficulties in leasing the original phase, the plans have been delayed and revised. Several of the athletic venues will be expanded and renovated to handle larger crowds, including the completed expansion of the UCF Soccer and Track Stadium to 2,000 seats in 2011, and the planned renovations in 2011 to Jay Bergman Field to add 4,000 seats along with 9 new luxury suites. Other future, yet unplanned, expansions are scheduled to include the expansion of Bright House Networks Stadium to 65,000 seats.
External links
- Knights Plaza Official Website
- UCF Athletics Athletics website
- University of Central Florida School website