UCF Officials Apologize For Water Problems, Will Offer Free Bottles Next Game
About 60 People Treated For Heat-Related Issues
POSTED: Monday, September 17, 2007
UPDATED: 10:59 pm EDT September 17,
2007
 "For the regular residents who live here, it is important that you keep taking fluids in," Orange County fire official Anthony Willis. "We don't have water fountains on the property here. So going to the water stations and making purchases of water or bringing bottled water with you is paramount." |
ORLANDO, Fla. -- University of Central Florida officials offered a public apology Monday for running out of bottled water at their new on-campus stadium built without water fountains and said they plan to give each ticket holder free water at the next home game.
SURVEY: Install Water Fountains?
IMAGES: Fan Photos From Game
About 60 people were treated at the game for heat-related issues during the Knight's loss to the Texas Longhorns 35-32 on Saturday.Fans complained that when the water ran out, there were no drinking fountains on the property."We underestimated the need for water," UCF representative Al Harms said. "We, in fact, did not have adequate numbers of distribution stations and we did not have enough bottles of water."The $55 million stadium was constructed using 2001 building codes that do not require water fountains.During a news conference on the issue Monday, university officials pointed out that the project was completed on time and within budget."That is a pretty remarkable thing in this day and age," Harms said. "Granted, it did not have water fountains and some people will say you took a short cut. I don't choose to view it that way."Officials denied that water fountains were left off blueprints so they could sell bottled water.However, other than relief at first-aid stations, UCF has no plans to give away the $3 bottles of water, Local 6 reported."Part of the stadium, of course, is the concession and frankly, water is a big chunk of it," Harms said. "So, my sense is that we will not be offering free water."However, officials said the school will give every ticket holder a free a bottle of water at the next game.UCF officials also said they plan to have three times the amount of water for sale at the stadium in upcoming weeks."We are committed to fixing this and we are not going to put our fans through that type of situation again," Harms said. "We truly aren't."UCF officials told WKMG-TV that they are looking at the cost of possibly installing drinking fountains in the stadium in the future.Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
SURVEY: Install Water Fountains? IMAGES: Fan Photos From Game About 60 people were treated at the game for heat-related issues during the Knight's loss to the Texas Longhorns 35-32 on Saturday.Fans complained that when the water ran out, there were no drinking fountains on the property."We underestimated the need for water," UCF representative Al Harms said. "We, in fact, did not have adequate numbers of distribution stations and we did not have enough bottles of water."The $55 million stadium was constructed using 2001 building codes that do not require water fountains.During a news conference on the issue Monday, university officials pointed out that the project was completed on time and within budget."That is a pretty remarkable thing in this day and age," Harms said. "Granted, it did not have water fountains and some people will say you took a short cut. I don't choose to view it that way."Officials denied that water fountains were left off blueprints so they could sell bottled water.However, other than relief at first-aid stations, UCF has no plans to give away the $3 bottles of water, Local 6 reported."Part of the stadium, of course, is the concession and frankly, water is a big chunk of it," Harms said. "So, my sense is that we will not be offering free water."However, officials said the school will give every ticket holder a free a bottle of water at the next game.UCF officials also said they plan to have three times the amount of water for sale at the stadium in upcoming weeks."We are committed to fixing this and we are not going to put our fans through that type of situation again," Harms said. "We truly aren't."UCF officials told WKMG-TV that they are looking at the cost of possibly installing drinking fountains in the stadium in the future.Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
Previous Stories:
- September 17, 2007: Fans Suffer Heat Exhaustion At New Stadium Without Water Fountains
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