2008 Woodie Awards
New bar scores mixed reviews
Jessica saggio
Issue date: 5/12/08 Section: News
Move over Don Pablo's, it's time for a Touchdown.
As summer begins, UCF's newest nightspot TD's-short for Touchdown's- promises to liven up those nights too boring for just sitting at home watching re-runs and Lifetime movies.
The sports bar opened May 5th in the old Don Pablo's building on University Boulevard. with their Cinco De Mayo block party attracting more than 5000 people. TD's offers a full-service bar, food service until 2 a.m., screen TV's, music and dancing, according to Melissa Lavalley, manager of TD's. TD's is open seven nights a week from 9 pm to 2 am. It will begin serving lunch in early June.
The bar was started by Tim Smoak and David Swanson in an effort to offer a different environment for UCF students than the traditional college bar. Both Smoak and Swanson also own Liquid Cellar, according to Corey Levy, co-founder of Knightlyfe, which works in conjunction with TD's.
"The two owners wanted to go for a downtown kind of feel right in your backyard," Lavalley said." It's not like Liquid Cellar, [Knight]Library, Scoop, or Devaney's. It's a different feel. When you walk in there, it's huge, the ceilings are high and there's no smoking allowed because we serve food."
Carey Sobel, the other co-founder of Knightlyfe and better known as DJ Sobes, agreed that the bar offers a unique experience.
"It's an electric atmosphere," Sobel said. "Everyone was really excited to see a new building and a new college bar and it doesn't smell like throw up, everything is brand new. It's clean, it's new and it doesn't smell."
As for students, the bar sparked very different reactions from person to person.
"[TD's is] a lot newer and the sound system is amazing," said Christine Zangen, a political science major. "It's not gross like other local bars."
Jared Beaty, a hospitality management major who also works security for the bar, agreed.
"The atmosphere is like Library, but better," Beaty said. "The DJ's are great. I know at least the other night it was DJ Sobes and he did a really good job of getting everyone into it. You also had a lot more girls up on stage dancing."
As summer begins, UCF's newest nightspot TD's-short for Touchdown's- promises to liven up those nights too boring for just sitting at home watching re-runs and Lifetime movies.
The sports bar opened May 5th in the old Don Pablo's building on University Boulevard. with their Cinco De Mayo block party attracting more than 5000 people. TD's offers a full-service bar, food service until 2 a.m., screen TV's, music and dancing, according to Melissa Lavalley, manager of TD's. TD's is open seven nights a week from 9 pm to 2 am. It will begin serving lunch in early June.
The bar was started by Tim Smoak and David Swanson in an effort to offer a different environment for UCF students than the traditional college bar. Both Smoak and Swanson also own Liquid Cellar, according to Corey Levy, co-founder of Knightlyfe, which works in conjunction with TD's.
"The two owners wanted to go for a downtown kind of feel right in your backyard," Lavalley said." It's not like Liquid Cellar, [Knight]Library, Scoop, or Devaney's. It's a different feel. When you walk in there, it's huge, the ceilings are high and there's no smoking allowed because we serve food."
Carey Sobel, the other co-founder of Knightlyfe and better known as DJ Sobes, agreed that the bar offers a unique experience.
"It's an electric atmosphere," Sobel said. "Everyone was really excited to see a new building and a new college bar and it doesn't smell like throw up, everything is brand new. It's clean, it's new and it doesn't smell."
As for students, the bar sparked very different reactions from person to person.
"[TD's is] a lot newer and the sound system is amazing," said Christine Zangen, a political science major. "It's not gross like other local bars."
Jared Beaty, a hospitality management major who also works security for the bar, agreed.
"The atmosphere is like Library, but better," Beaty said. "The DJ's are great. I know at least the other night it was DJ Sobes and he did a really good job of getting everyone into it. You also had a lot more girls up on stage dancing."