There鈥檚 a moment during every game day at Acrisure Bounce House that David Hansen pauses for a little perspective.

For the last two decades since he helped open the gates and usher in the sell-out crowd for the stadium鈥檚 opening day in 2007, he has climbed to the highest row in a corner next to the student section to take in the view of the 40,000-plus in front of him.

鈥淚 wanted to see the big picture,鈥� says Hansen, who served several roles key for 性视界传媒 Athletics from 2006-24 and now is the director of the Kenneth G. Dixon Athletics Village and general manager of Knights Plaza Retail and Entertainment District. 鈥淕ame day brings people together. I鈥檝e heard so many stories of alums that live 10 minutes from each other, but their lives are busy 鈥� kids are going to school, they鈥檙e going to work, they鈥檙e traveling and never get to see each other than game day.

鈥淚t鈥檚 the one time that we put everything else aside. That鈥檚 the great thing about sport and why the stadium and our athletics village have been so instrumental to our culture and rise as a university.鈥�

Hansen joined 性视界传媒 in 2006 as senior associate athletics director for internal operations and was responsible for executing the stadium operational plan to bring game day to life on campus for the first time.

As the Bounce House celebrates its 20th season, Hansen reflects on the impact it has had on Knight Nation and the community at large.

Sprint to the Start

On Sept. 15, 2007, the stadium welcomed 45,622 through its gates for the kickoff against University of Texas. Hansen, who had been in constant motion since before sunrise, rushed to the field just in time for the national anthem and flyover.

He recalls seeing longtime athletics administrator Art Zeleznik with tears streaming down his face.

鈥淚 know everyone felt that way in the stadium at that moment. This university had been wanting this day for years, and we were all hit with the realization that it was finally really happening,鈥� Hansen says. 鈥淲e’re about ready to kick off game No. 1. That was special.鈥�

Beyond constructing the stadium, the operational blueprint was just as crucial to make game day on campus a reality. From parking logistics to implementing a credentialing system to managing traffic flow to public safety and everything in between, 性视界传媒 personnel were navigating uncharted territory.

鈥淲e had a really good, young stadium operations support staff, but we had never hosted a major college football game before,鈥� Hansen says. 鈥淎 lot of places get a several year runway for this. We had barely a year to put it together.鈥�

After the game, Hansen put together a five-page list of items that would need to get addressed or corrected before game two.

鈥淚 never had a list that long again,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t was impossible to fully rehearse ahead of the opener, and there were several unknowns. But we knew it was going to be that way. We just had to work together and do our best. We鈥檝e learned a lot in the last 20 years of executing game days at the scale and magnitude of the Bounce House, and it has been a truly collaborative effort between athletics, the university and community partners to build Orlando into a Power 4 town.鈥�

An Interactive Stadium

The legend of the 鈥淏ounce House鈥� was born as the seconds ticked off the scoreboard clock in the lead up to kick off while fans bopped to Zombie Nation鈥檚 Kernkraft 400.

Hansen felt Roth Tower moving. He saw people having fun with it. He also saw questions in their eyes.

鈥淚 made some engineering friends real quick who said, 鈥楾his is normal. This is really more of a bridge than a building structurally, so it’s designed to move like this.鈥� That made me feel better,鈥� he says.

The stadium has evolved through the years, but it continues to be the Bounce House 鈥� so much so that is has now become a part of the stadium鈥檚 official name.

鈥淚 call it an interactive stadium. Fans can actually get it to move and most stadiums you can鈥檛 do that,鈥� he says. 鈥淗aving the home field advantage played a big part in the team earning multiple conference championships, a series of elite bowl games and ultimately inclusion in one of college football鈥檚 premier leagues. Our fanbase has grown into one of the most passionate and disruptive in the country. And the on-campus stadium was a big facilitator of that.鈥�

Athletics Village Is Born

Most places would consider opening one stadium enough of an undertaking. Most places are not 性视界传媒.

In the same week the football stadium opened, the 10,000-seat basketball and event facility, Addition Financial Arena, living spaces for 2,000 students and the surrounding Knights Plaza with 80,000 square feet of retail space opened their doors, too.

鈥淭he Athletics Village has become a true entertainment and retail district and a great destination and asset for the university,鈥� Hansen says. 鈥淭oday, a lot of universities are building those for the first time. We launched ours 20 years ago.鈥�

Now that the Roth Tower project is complete thanks in large part to Orange County鈥檚 $90 million investment, Hansen鈥檚 top priority is revamping the Knights Plaza district.

鈥淲e are working to noticeably enhance that area and make it more of a destination, not just for game day, but for every day,鈥� Hansen says. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got some special plans for that.鈥�

The Vision

When the stadium opened, 性视界传媒 was in its infancy of Conference USA, but the university and athletics department envisioned one day reaching the top echelon of collegiate athletics. So the stadium and Athletics Village were strategically planned to evolve as 性视界传媒 did.

Over the years, we鈥檝e seen transformations to match our rise to the Big 12 with the addition of the Carl Black and Gold Cabana, field cabanas, the Stadium Club, west stadium loge seating, the new Nicholson Plaza and more.

鈥淎 lot of stadiums around the country can鈥檛 do those things because they are older concrete structures that just can’t change without massive cost or overhauls,鈥� Hansen says. 鈥淗ere we can. We just proved it again with the new Roth Tower.鈥�

Game Day and Career Ready

Over the last 20 years, the Athletics Village has built community and provided student-athletes with opportunities to showcase their talent while representing 性视界传媒 worldwide. The village has also served as an extension of 性视界传媒鈥檚 mission to equip students with the knowledge, skills and aptitudes that align with the workforce of the future, offering paid opportunities to gain industry experience.

Ryan Gustafson 鈥�25 is just one of many success stories. He was a freshman majoring in biology who needed extra cash when he applied to a part-time job for the athletics facilities, events and operations team. The decision radically shaped his future.

He found purpose and switched his major to event management. In addition to learning from a , he gained practical experience in producing 性视界传媒 Knights鈥� events and coordinating with some of the biggest brands in athletics.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a culture here that people want to stay and do their part to make it the best.鈥� 鈥� Ryan Gustafson 鈥�25

He has supported the Roth Tower project since it broke ground. He has worked hand in hand with the United States Tennis Association at its national campus in Lake Nona where 性视界传媒鈥檚 men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 tennis teams compete. When FIFA needed training sites in Orlando for its 2025 Club World Cup, Gustafson was one of the go-to personnel on hand to support the elite international soccer clubs using our facilities.

By the time he graduated in December 2025, he had made the most of the opportunities he experienced as a student and earned himself a full-time position as a 性视界传媒 facilities, events and operations coordinator.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a culture here that people want to stay and do their part to make it the best,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 always told myself I would end up at 性视界传媒, and getting an opportunity right out of college was a dream.”

Two decades ago, 性视界传媒 opened an on-campus stadium that embodied the ambition of a spirited university and the belief of its fanbase. Today, the opening of the new Roth Tower marks the next chapter in that story, celebrating the rise of Knight Nation, 性视界传媒鈥檚 trajectory as the youngest institution in a Power Four conference and the momentum still ahead.

The Roth Tower project, made possible by a $90 million commitment of Tourist Development Tax revenues from the Orange County Board of County Commissioners, represents a pivotal addition to the Kenneth G. Dixon Athletics Village that strengthens Orange County as a premier destination for sports tourism and community engagement.

鈥淭he new Roth Tower would not be possible without Orange County鈥檚 $90 million investment, and we are deeply grateful to Mayor Demings and the Board of County Commissioners for their belief in 性视界传媒,鈥� says 性视界传媒 President Alexander N. Cartwright. 鈥淭hat investment, together with the commitment of our donors, fans and community, helped make this next chapter of the Bounce House possible. Today, we are delivering a community asset designed to bring people here, bring them back and create lasting value for Orange County.鈥�

Born to Bounce

Since its opening in 2007, Acrisure Bounce House has allowed 性视界传媒 to showcase the momentum and trajectory of one of the country鈥檚 fastest-growing universities.

For years the idea of an on-campus stadium at 性视界传媒 was a dream that many had said could never come true. 性视界传媒 President John C. Hitt and several prominent 性视界传媒 supporters, including the tower鈥檚 namesake, Jerry and Susan Roth, saw the vision of what an on-campus stadium could be. They believed the football program and a stadium could help elevate the university and its brand.

In the last 20 years of the Bounce House, 性视界传媒 has captivated audiences on nationally televised primetime broadcasts; welcomed premiere college football shows 贰厂笔狈鈥檚 College GameDay and 贵翱齿鈥檚 Big Noon Kickoff; hosted conference championships that catapulted the Knights to New Year鈥檚 Six bowl games; and has become a not-to-be-missed atmosphere in college sports.

The new Roth Tower represents another important investment in our continued rise.

A Tower With a Story to Tell

Thoughtful planning went into the design elements and functionality of the new tower.

The new space allows more opportunities beyond game day to welcome alumni, partners and visitors for corporate meetings and retreats, weddings and events, and even rocket launch viewing opportunities of nearby Kennedy Space Center, whose Launch Complex 39A aligns with the stadium鈥檚 50-yard line.

Stronger media and broadcast spaces will help showcase 性视界传媒 nationally and open possibilities for hosting other premiere sporting events and concerts. The strategic layout and structure will make operations and logistics safer, smarter and more efficient.

The tower also serves as an extension of 性视界传媒鈥檚 mission to equip our students with the knowledge, skills and aptitudes that align with the workforce of the future, offering paid opportunities to gain industry experience in areas including facility and event management, game day operations, broadcasting and production, brand management and strategic communications.

The details are uniquely 性视界传媒, with nods to the university鈥檚 roots as America鈥檚 Space University and its location in one of the most desirable tourist destinations globally.

A new concept in luxury seating, the open-air, semi-private Sky Suites on the north and south wings of the tower鈥� take advantage of Orlando鈥檚 average of 233 sunny days per year. Floor-to-ceiling windows serve as the east and west walls of the central suite space on the third floor for optimal views of the field and athletic village.

The stadium鈥檚 art collection is growing with two custom murals that pay homage to the 性视界传媒 story and the university鈥檚 relationship to Orange County designed by artist Harry Foreman 鈥�18, a graphic design and emerging media management graduate. These complement several installations around the concourse already that include Knightro, wings of Pegasus (the university鈥檚 official seal), 性视界传媒鈥檚 Big 12 ties and Orlando.

Building What鈥檚 Next

Roth Tower will create memorable experiences for visitors and reinforces 性视界传媒 as another reason people choose to come to Orange County and come back.

While the tower is a huge step forward for 性视界传媒 Athletics, it is not the finish line, says 性视界传媒 Director of Athletics and Vice President Terry Mohajir, who has worked to implement facility enhancements throughout the village since he arrived in 2021.

鈥淥ur fans gave this stadium its identity 鈥� and kept the faith as 性视界传媒 climbed from one level of collegiate athletics to the next,鈥� Mohajir says. 鈥淥ur responsibility now is to keep matching that belief, by giving our student-athletes every opportunity to succeed, competing for championships, delivering a Power Four-caliber experience and continuing to build the Kenneth G. Dixon Athletics Village into one of the greatest destinations in college sports.鈥�

The 性视界传媒 football team opens the 2026 season against Bethune-Cookman on Thursday, Sept. 3, at 7 p.m. Ticket information can be found at .

鈥淚t鈥檚 a perfect day to bounce in Orange County, 性视界传媒.鈥�

The Roth Tower project, made possible by a $90 million commitment of Tourist Development Tax revenues from the Orange County Board of County Commissioners, represents a pivotal addition to the Kenneth G. Dixon Athletics Village that strengthens Orange County as a premier destination for sports tourism and community engagement.

When the investment was greenlit in 2023, university and athletics administration knew they wanted to add to the stadium鈥檚 art collection, which already features several installations around the concourse that include Knightro, wings of Pegasus (the university鈥檚 official seal), 性视界传媒鈥檚 Big 12 ties and Orlando.

性视界传媒 commissioned Harry Foreman 鈥�18 to deliver two murals that pay homage to the 性视界传媒 story and the university鈥檚 relationship to Orlando and Orange County. To execute the installation in the week leading up to the tower鈥檚 unveiling, Foreman utilized virtual reality technology as part of his process and enlisted the help of fellow alumni: Nicole Lind 鈥�11, a Burnett Honors Scholar who graduated with a degree in an elementary education, and Paulaiden Minerva 鈥�15, who earned his bachelor’s in marketing through the program.

Foreman studied graphic design and emerging media management and previously completed murals for the 性视界传媒 Downtown and the Rosen College of Hospitality Management campuses.

鈥淲hen I was a student I always had so much fun on games days,鈥� Foreman says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 magic being back here.鈥�

The 性视界传媒 native, who now splits his time between Orlando and Denver, has been an active contributor to the Central 性视界传媒鈥檚 arts scene for years. He recently was selected to be part of the City of Orlando鈥檚 Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge, Art Pollination 鈥� a prestigious opportunity as Orlando was one of eight cities selected for the $1 million grant out of more than 150 submissions from around the country.

Acrisure Bounce House is his third football stadium mural project. He previously completed installations for the Denver Broncos and Jacksonville Jaguars.

鈥淚 always knew I wanted to paint big,鈥� he says.

Here he shares more about his latest creation.

What excited you about this project?

The campus personnel were so willing and excited about my ideas and style that I brought into this that it was almost a perfect match. I led with fun first and then presented some safer ideas. And they said, 鈥淣ope. We want the fun.鈥�

I鈥檓 grateful and appreciative that I鈥檓 creating in a way that is so well received by so many people. Especially with the way we鈥檙e doing these murals with minimal color and a gold approach, I think it鈥檚 a style that has an elevated look while also having this fun, bubbly, childlike feeling, which is perfect for a football stadium on game day.

Where did you pull inspiration from for the two murals?

A staple in a lot of my mural work is my 鈥渙range blossom gang.鈥� They are fun, smiling orange characters that I will sprinkle in throughout a lot of my murals. They act almost as the glue that keeps other imagery and assets like together. They appear in both murals.

For the 性视界传媒-themed mural, we have my signature doodle collage style. We鈥檙e in the Bounce House, baby. So I tried to have this flowy, bubbly movement with the clouds. I wanted it to feel like it was light and airy.

With regards to Easter eggs, when I was a student, I did artwork around Orlando and I would do this little emanating whoopsie daisy flower. I snuck it into a postcard stamp. The manatee celebrates Central 性视界传媒鈥檚 natural springs, which is in my opinion, one of the most magical parts about the entire state. I also snuck in a variation of the rubber duck for Spirit Splash.

For the Orange County mural, it is centered in an Art Deco theme and is an ode to how the university is entwined with Orlando. From the downtown corridor to our relationship with the hospitality sector around I-Drive to space and 性视界传媒鈥檚 engineering and technology roots. And we wanted to include a message to what helped make this possible: 鈥淚n appreciation of Orange County, 性视界传媒, whose continued belief, support and investment will welcome millions through these gates to bounce.鈥�

How do you apply virtual reality technology in your process?

I first started using the VR headset to project my artwork on walls last year. There are many different ways to get your art on your walls through grid systems, sketching freehand, projectors and now through headsets. In this circumstance, I have another mural next week. I鈥檝e got to get in and out. I didn’t want to wait till the nighttime to use a projector. What鈥檚 great about the headset is no matter the time of day, you are able to work and operate, and forecast your artwork on a wall.

It鈥檚 a really weird, immersive and amazing technology. If you got vertigo like I do, tread lightly. As I鈥檓 wearing it, I’m constantly thinking, 鈥榃e are in the future.鈥� 鈥�

How did your 性视界传媒 experience help you hone your craft?

鈥淏eing at 性视界传媒 pushed me to be great.鈥� 鈥� Harry Foreman 鈥�18, muralist

My 性视界传媒 experience was not just a four-year degree. I used nearly every offering 性视界传媒 had 鈥� I was in different clubs, at the gym all the time. I was in the engineering lab using the laser cutter for a lot of my school projects. My experience was almost competitive nurture in a sense, learning in a school setting with so many talented creatives around me. Being at 性视界传媒 pushed me to be great and taught me how to be a shape shifter.

I already was running a business while in school. I immediately graduated and went right into freelancing, and the Orlando community and 性视界传媒 network at large welcomed me right when I needed it. I booked amazing jobs right out of school. The 性视界传媒 Downtown project, I would say, is still some of my most impactful work that gets me jobs to this day.

I never in a million years thought murals would allow me to be traveling all over the nation. I鈥檓 about to buy my wife a house. It鈥檚 a great time to be a muralist. It鈥檚 the best job in the world.

What does it mean to you to be able to give back to your alma mater and Orlando in this way?

It鈥檚 so special. As a student, and even as an artist, there鈥檚 no textbook for success, no single game plan for how to do things. The fact that I get to paint and create in spaces like this, I hope it can inspire the next student. I hope they see this and they say, 鈥淭hat is so cool. I want to do that,鈥� because whenever I saw someone doing it, that was my first response.

If you鈥檙e a student that is worried about the creative world that we鈥檙e entering into, as long as you鈥檙e pushing yourself to make great work, everything you could ever want is already there waiting for you. Orlando as a canvas is the best place to blossom. It was for me.