Full Sail to open $6M esports arena next year

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Full Sail University unveiled its plans Wednesday for a new state-of-the-art esports arena set to open in early 2019.

This new arena, which will be called "The Fortress," is being built to support Armada, the university's esports team. The new space will be more than 11,200 square feet -- the largest of its kind on a college campus nationwide.

"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," said Ken Goldstone, the school's chief operating officer.

The arena will feature the most up-to-date technology, allowing the university to host professional and collegiate level "gaming tournaments and live esports streaming events, and will be used to explore activities, including drone programming, possibly drone racing and more."

The arena can hold 500 people and can be reconfigured to accommodate events, such as one-on-one gaming events and esports events with up to 100 players.

"These efforts support our establishment as a leading global destination for students who want to participate in the esports lifestyle as part of their college experience," Goldstone said.

The university will spend more than $6 million on the project. It will also build a separate practice space for the school's esports team.

The arena has been under construction since June.

Cox Media Group