Full Sail University has unveiled plans to build a state-of-the-art esports arena in support of Armada, the university’s collegiate-level varsity esports team, as well as other professional industry esports initiatives. The 11,200+-square-foot facility will be the largest esports arena to date on any college or university campus in the United States.
Full Sail began the design phase for the facility in early 2017. Construction started in June of 2018 and the arena is scheduled to be completed by early 2019. Known as “the Fortress,” the arena will be equipped with the most current technology to host collegiate and professional gaming tournaments and live esports streaming events, and will be used to explore activities, including drone programming, possibly drone racing, and more. The customizable facility can support competition ranging from one-one-one matches to hundreds of esports athletes playing simultaneously, and will include occupancy for over 500, allowing spectators to cheer for games live onsite, while remaining flexible for a host of uses. Professionally, Full Sail is working on cooperative initiatives with companies including MSI, Magic Gaming of the NBA 2K League, WWE and others.
Related: New Gear, New Graduates at Full Sail University, Nov. 6, 2017
In addition to the arena, a separate dedicated practice space for Armada will be housed on the 210+ acre campus and equipped with the latest in gaming technology. Here, student esports athletes will have the opportunity to train for upcoming tournaments both on-campus and on the road, taking part in events across the country and internationally.
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“We are excited about these additions to our campus as we continue to strive to make Full Sail the premier destination for students who want to pursue careers in entertainment and media, and specifically, gaming and the various aspects of the live event industry,” says Ken Goldstone, chief operating officer, Full Sail University. “Whether it be the business aspects of video game and sports management, the information technology behind synchronized gaming within esports, or shoutcasting, live production, game creation, streaming live-casts and more, there are a multitude of diverse skills and opportunities for our students to explore.”
