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Opened in 1980 as the University of South Florida Sun Dome, the Yuengling Center has long been a cornerstone of the Tampa Bay community, hosting a range of events from concerts to sports games.
With a 55,000-square-foot multipurpose facility, including a 10,500-seat arena, the Yuengling Center has undergone extensive renovations since its inception, including a notable $43 million worth of upgrades since 2000. These improvements have kept the facility at the forefront of local venues, ensuring it remains a premier destination for events of all kinds.
As part of its ongoing commitment to excellence, the Yuengling Center has undertaken a special upgrade to improve the facility’s emergency resilience. WGI was enlisted to enhance the facility’s emergency shelter capabilities, specifically in terms of mechanical and electrical systems, ensuring the arena could provide vital shelter during hurricane events.
Throughout the construction phase, WGI worked closely with both USF and Hillsborough County to ensure that all systems were thoroughly tested and confirmed to perform as required under emergency conditions.
Strengthening Emergency Resilience
The main focus of this upgrade was the integration of advanced systems to maintain comfort and safety in emergency situations. WGI designed and implemented a 155-ton mobile chiller system, which was trailer-mounted and equipped with integrated pumps and motorized valves. This state-of-the-art system features automatic transition capability, allowing the Yuengling Center to seamlessly switch from its USF central plant to the mobile chiller unit during power outages, ensuring uninterrupted cooling for shelter areas. Additionally, to support these systems in the event of a power failure, a 1000 kW mobile generator system was installed. This system features two 500 kW diesel engines that operate in parallel, offering improved fuel economy and redundancy, ensuring reliable backup power for the shelter.A Seamless Integration
WGI's role in this project included an in-depth evaluation phase, where we identified the critical shelter areas and determined the necessary capacities for the mobile chiller and generator systems. We then developed detailed engineering documents to guide the implementation process, ensuring that the new systems integrated seamlessly with the existing infrastructure.
Project Highlights:
- New 155-ton mobile chiller with automatic switch-over capability for uninterrupted cooling.
- 1000 kW mobile generator system with dual 500 kW diesel engines for fuel efficiency and redundancy.
- Comprehensive evaluation and engineering documentation to ensure precise implementation.
- Collaborative testing with USF and Hillsborough County to confirm system functionality and performance.