Recovery Cove is expected to cost less than $2 million to build, with all money coming from private sources.



Beyond being for student-athletes, the athletic department sees the space as a revenue generator thanks to things like Covegating and the ability to rent it out. pic.twitter.com/K8RUIvPbmN — Front Office Sports (@frntofficesport) November 25, 2018

A short drive from The Most Magical Place On Earth, UCF next phase of athletics expansion will transform the nation's largest public university into a leisure-filled theme park of sorts for student-athletes and incoming recruits after the school recently received a $1 million gift, according to Front Office Sports.

UCF first announced its $25 million expansion in May 2017, a host of new additions highlighted by a resort-style lazy river and mini-golf course outside of the Knights' Bright House Networks Stadium, the first of its kind in college athletics.

UCF's "Recovery Cove" features "the lazy river surrounded by palm trees, a separate pool, a mini-golf course, a cabana area, beach volleyball sand court and more" according to Knight News. Per Front Office Sports, "once open, Recovery Cove will also be home to “Covegating”, an all-inclusive experience for fans that includes access to the facility, parking, food, and drinks."

“We already have great proximity with all of our amenities (Disney World, Universal Studios, SeaWorld) for student athletes,” UCF Athletic Director Danny White told The Orlando Sentinel's Mike Bianchi last year. "The new academic center, the new, modern dorms, the arena, the stadium and all of our competitive venues are all right there. We want to connect it all with beautiful walkways and plazas and establish a place for the athletes to relax, recover and get to know each other.

"We want it to be kind of like an Olympic village. That’s why we came up with the leisure pool, the lazy river, some putt-putt golf and other amenities to make it hopefully the most unique athletic village in the country.”

UCF's star continues to shine bright during a special season for the Knights, who are hoping to move up in Tuesday's College Football Playoff rankings following Friday's win over USF. Despite losing star quarterback McKenzie Milton to a season-ending injury, UCF won its 24th consecutive game, 38-10.

“Typical Milton fashion, he's a fighter,” UCF coach Josh Heupel said when asked how Milton is doing. “The first 48 hours he's done really well."

The Knights (11-0) host Memphis on Saturday in the American Athletic Conference title game with a New Year's Six berth on the line. Most projections have the Knights battling Florida in the Fiesta Bowl with a victory.

UCF would then be trying to "upset" an SEC team for the second consecutive season in the postseason after beating Auburn in the Peach Bowl last fall.