Scott Powers
The Florida Board of Governors will hold a special meeting in Orlando March 2 to hear the University of Central Florida’s pitch for a downtown Orlando campus.
Details, including location of the meeting, are not yet set.
The university said Friday the Board of Governors arranged the meeting so UCF can seek approval for a new academic building in the downtown area being developed as “Creative Village,” and to relocate academic programs there to align with downtown Orlando industries.
The university is in a time bind to get the board’s approval in time for the Florida Legislature to take up, and (university officials hope) approve a $20 million state funding request for the building.
UCF had hoped to make the pitch to the Board of Governors in January, and then to the governors’ Feb. 17 meeting, but held out the prospect of a special meeting.
Meanwhile, UCF has been trying to raise a private match for that $20 million, to meet recommendations urged by state leaders, after Gov. Rick Scott vetoed a $15 million grant for UCF’s downtown campus last year. To date, the university has raised just over $9 million.
The $20 million UCF is seeking would be one-third of the new academic building’s cost.
The next third is to be paid by the private donations, which so far include $3 million from Orange County; $2 million from Valencia College, which will share the building; $1.5 million each from the Orlando Magic and CFE Federal Credit Union; and more than $1 million from UCF leaders and board members.
Additionally, the Orlando City Council on Monday is being asked to vote to approve a Memorandum of Understanding that includes about $68 million in land and infrastructure improvements to the site. The project also expects almost $8 million in donated construction from the Creative Village private developer.
Pending approvals, the campus would open in fall 2018.
