ECU Grad gives UCF $2.5 million for Stadium

[Goldenbuc]

E. Carolina grad Dowdy roots for UCF's stadium

Alan Schmadtke

Sentinel Staff Writer

October 30, 2005

Possibly the most passionate but bipartisan fan at Saturday's game was the man for whom East Carolina's stadium is co-named. Orlando's Ron Dowdy, a key businessman in the International Drive scene, has an accounting degree from East Carolina and contributed $1 million to help expand Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.

Dowdy wore a purple sweater and sat in his ECU club suites Saturday, but clearly he is enthused about UCF's plan to build a 45,000-seat football stadium on campus. Sources at the UCF Foundation confirmed Dowdy pledged $2.5 million toward the $50 million stadium, which the Knights hope to build in 2007.

"I've pledged the money," Dowdy said Saturday, declining to reveal the size of his potential gift. "I'm ready to sign that document right now."

The hitch: Dowdy has an agreement with UCF Athletic Director Steve Orsini that the booster's pledge will become official as soon as the Knights find somebody to eclipse it.

"What we're going to do on campus is not about putting my name on another stadium," Dowdy said. "We're going to do what needs to be done."

[Bull Matrix]

That is a very nice thing for someone to do.  As a USF fan, I really hope UCF's on campus stadium succeeds because it will only put a spark under USF's plans for an on campus stadium. If it fails, then I think many people at USF would not be as interested in building an on-campus stadium. So, good luck to UCF on the stadium.

[Goldenbuc]

Thanks.  As far as failure...I don't see how it could.  Compare it to the C-Bowl and the revenue it'll generate compared to playing in the C-Bowl...there's no reason to go anywhere but up with the thing.  

USF is in need of a stadium, too.  It'll give USF much more identity and seperate them from the shadow of the Bucs logos everywhere.  But...playing in Ray Jay is also pretty central and a sweet place to play, as well.