- North Carolina State University has received $16 million in funding to build a new esports arena
- The university hopes that its new arena will appeal to all kinds of students besides gamers
- The arena will be completed by 2024. In the meantime, NC State will establish a temporary arena for those who can’t wait
North Carolina State University has been granted $16 million to build an esports arena and cater to the growing gamer demographics.
NC State Approved for a $16M Grant
North Carolina State University will hop on the esports train after it received $16 million in funding to build its own esports arena. A part of the money will be used to also create a so-called esports truck that can isn’t bound by land-based restrictions.
The grant is provided by the government of North Carolina which seeks to nurture the growing esports scene in the wake of a significant rise of interest in professional gaming. The NC State University esports club, for example, fields almost 200 aspiring athletes competing in eight different esports titles.
The university’s student newspaper, the Technician, provided further insight into how the funding will be spent. It explained that the university will put about $12 million into the esports arena which will be located on the university grounds. The rest will be put into the esports truck which will serve as a mobile center for esports.
The Arena Aims to Appeal to More than Just Gamers
Marc Hoit, the vice chancellor for information technology at NC State University, spoke on his vision for the arena.
“We’re building up a network of people who are anxious to use the laboratory, if you will, and go ahead and do what we do best as an educational institution. My goal is to make the facility a shared activity.”
Just as Hoit says, the esports arena aims to appeal to more demographics than just gamers. Tech-savvy students will be able to use the facility to practice computer sciences and game design while social science students can research the growth of esports and its impact on younger demographics. Hospitality management students, on the other hand, can put their skills into use and help their gamer friends with the planning and hosting of esports tournaments.
The NC State University hopes that its esports arena will open its gates by 2024. Luckily, students needn’t wait that long as the establishment will first establish temporary esports facilities in hopes of sparking more interest in esports.
By everything, it seems that NC State University is bullish on becoming an esports powerhouse. With $16 million to spend on a state-of-the-art esports arena, there is no doubt that the university will be a top pick for future students who wish to take their passion for gaming a step further.
