JACKSONVILLE, Fla — On Tuesday, the Jacksonville City Council approved $3 million in support of an innovative esports arena at the University of North Florida. “The Flight Deck” will be located on the second floor of the John A Delaney Student Union, above the bookstore.
UNF says the arena will include “42 high-performance PC gaming stations; a built-in competition stage for live tournaments and team play; a broadcast studio space for live streaming, shoutcasting and content production; a flexible console play zone for casual and console-based gaming; and will include event integration for seamless connection to the adjacent auditorium for spectator seating and large-scale events.”
The university adds that The Flight Deck will “allow UNF to attract more students to pursue STEM careers in science, computing and engineering; host national competitions that bring visitors and economic development to Jacksonville; and contribute to the City’s efforts to develop a highly skilled workforce prepared for industries of the future.”
“We are so appreciative of the support from Mayor Deegan and the City Council as UNF Esports is poised to transform Jacksonville into a premier center for digital innovation and gaming,” says UNF President Moez Limayem. “This is a significant milestone for our University and the entire community. We couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to enhance innovative technology in our region.”
UNF Vice President and Chief Information Officer Brian Verkamp says he’s excited about the deal, adding, “The university has been wanting to do this a few years now, and we’ve been planning it for almost two years. We’ve been working with the city for quite a while now, trying to come up with some sort of agreement that we can both get excited about, and we did.
The Flight Deck is expected to be open in January 2026. You can see renderings of the arena below.
©2025 Cox Media Group
Sign Up
