The Orlando Magic have pledged to donate $1.5 million to UCF’s downtown campus. The team will make a check presentation at Wednesday’s game between the Magic and Rockets.
UCF has planned to build a downtown campus in the so-called Creative Village situated where the Amway Arena used to stand.
“A strong, vibrant, dynamic downtown is paramount to the continued growth of our community,” said Orlando Magic CEO Alex Martins, a UCF trustee and alumnus, in a press release. “UCF’s downtown campus will be a catalyst for that continued development, bringing several thousand students downtown, while serving as a center for job creation.
“The DeVos family and Orlando Magic are proud to be founding partners in this project, which will have a tremendous economic impact and serve as another stimulus diversifying opportunities available in our city.”
The downtown UCF campus would bring a lot of young people back to downtown and allow them to study and work in the same area. The idea is they would be within walking distance of the internships that supplement their education and give them real-world experience.
The Creative Village itself would be a hub for small businesses and start ups to have a space to get talent from UCF and develop and grow.
So the investment from the Magic is very much an investment in the city itself.
The team has made it no secret they want to see Downtown Orlando grow. They insisted for several years their new arena be built downtown as a commitment to the city. They also partnered with the performing arts center and the Citrus Bowl in the events center package to make sure downtown was completely transformed.
The rising tide lifts all boats.
The Magic’s next project is to develop the property across the street from the Amway Center into an entertainment complex complete with shops, dining and entertainment options along with a hotel, convention and office space.
Construction on that project should begin in 2016.
The Magic have shown a commitment to impacting the city. And this public and large donation shows they are putting some money where their mouth is.
