UCF athletics receives $1.5 million pledge for Hagle Football Gateway project
UCF athletics received a pledge of $1.5 million in support of the Hagle Football Gateway project from Wharton-Smith, Inc. The company is one of Central Florida's largest general contractors and construction firms.
The Sanford-based company was key in constructing UCF's Kenneth G. Dixon Athletics Village and contributed to FBC Mortgage Stadium, the Wayne Densch Center and the Roth Athletic Center.
'My family and I, along with our team at Wharton-Smith, are honored to support the Hagle Football Gateway and invest in the future of UCF Athletics,' Wharton-Smith President and CEO Tim Smith said in a statement. 'UCF played a pivotal role in my career, and this commitment reflects our belief in the power of sports to unite, inspire, and provide student-athletes with the facilities they need to compete at the highest level. We are proud to support the enduring impact UCF will have on student-athletes and our community for years to come.'
Smith received his bachelor's degree in civil engineering from UCF in 1998. He is an engaged member of the UCF community and serves on the Dean's Advisory Board for the College of Engineering and Computer Science.
'We appreciate Wharton-Smith's continued leadership and strong commitment to our university and our student-athletes,' athletics director Terry Mohajir said in a statement. 'Their generous commitment will help provide power conference-caliber facilities for UCF football in our Mission XII initiative.'
This new financial pledge supports the Hagle Football Gateway project, part of a proposed football campus set to feature the Taylor A. Gerring Football Center, which will house the football administration and coaches.
The Gateway will also feature Nicholson Plaza and McNamara Cove, providing athletes with a recovery river and hydrotherapy. The commitment will cover renovating the Wayne Densch Sports Center, providing a new locker room, and constructing a new VIP parking lot and pedestrian promenade.
Matt Murschel can be reached at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com
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