I read this in the Orlando Sentinel today and thought I would share, still doesn't make me feel much better about the tailgaiting situation:
UCF gears up for football frenzy
Officials' preparation for the home opener Sept. 15 includes fan parking and tailgating.
Luis Zaragoza | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted May 14, 2007
University of Central Florida officials say construction of the new football stadium is progressing on schedule for its planned fall opening.
On a parallel track is planning for another monumental task: moving more than 40,000 fans on and off campus on game days.
Al Harms, special assistant to UCF President John Hitt, is orchestrating planning for everything from parking to tailgating. He gave local business representatives and UCF staff a status report Friday on how the campus east of Orlando will cope with crowds that will include many people unfamiliar with the area.
When it comes to preparation for that first home game Sept. 15 and those to follow, Harms said, UCF is looking closely at:
Directional signs: UCF hasn't had a thorough update of its on-campus signs in nearly 20 years, Harms said. A consulting firm is studying how to update signs, first to point people to parking, then to highlight campus buildings.
Campus access: Some two-way campus roads will be turned into one-way streets at specific times to get vehicles in and out as efficiently as possible. Fans also will be discouraged from entering campus from the north to prevent gridlock on residential streets on that end of campus.
Parking: Fans with tickets will not have to pay for parking on campus, Harms said, a deliberate move to discourage parking in residential neighborhoods. Parking structures and lots closest to the stadium will be earmarked for major donors and VIPs. Every other available parking spot on campus will be fair game, with reserved parking privileges suspended at designated times. The first floor of a parking structure near the stadium will be set aside for disabled drivers.
Shuttles: Existing campus shuttles will focus on moving students onto campus from nearby affiliated housing. Still to be decided is where students will be dropped off. It won't necessarily be very close to the stadium, because the street in front of it will be closed to traffic to increase pedestrian safety. Shuttles will not take fans from one end of the campus to the other either, mainly because traffic volume will make it impractical, Harms said. So fans parking across campus from the stadium should expect to do some walking.
Tailgating: Fans will not be allowed to hold tailgate parties next to their vehicles in parking structures and paved lots. Instead, they will be encouraged to leave their vehicles behind and take their snacks and drinks to grass-covered areas on campus. Alcohol consumption will be allowed on the lawns with some restrictions. Underage drinking will not be tolerated, Harms said. Alcohol will not be allowed inside the stadium, he said.
With about four months left before the first game day, many logistical details on game-day operations remain to be sorted out, Harms said. A special Web site that will offer fans details on how to navigate the campus on game days is in the works, he said.
Bright House Stadium has 45,000 seats and a $55 million price tag. Next season's opening home game against the University of Texas is expected to draw about 4,000 Texas fans, school officials said. Since its first season in 1979, UCF's football team has played its home games at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando. UCF's stadium will be used solely for football, unlike stadiums at other schools that allow other sporting and cultural events.
The stadium is part of a developing campus sports complex that includes a 10,000-seat basketball stadium/performance venue currently under construction.
The two venues are scheduled to be completed around the same time as the stadium in late summer. Both will be self-sustaining through ticket sales and naming-rights fees, school officials said.
