MAY 19, 2023 — Roadrunner Gaming, a sponsored student organization at UTSA, is partnering with Six Flags Fiesta Texas to pioneer a new esports experience arena for the theme park.
Known as ESIX (E6), the project is also a collaboration between UTSA University Technology Solutions (UTS), Student Affairs and Athletics—all working with Six Flags to bring this new esports gaming arena to life. The project is creating new experiential learning opportunities for the gamers who helped develop the gaming arena.
"We are excited to be included in the new esports development process," said Zach Beesley, president of Roadrunner Gaming. “Working here at E6 has truly been a gamer’s dream. It allows me to work with the hardware, the software and even the chance to teach my peers and guests about esports to the best of my abilities—something I will never take for granted.”
Students from the UTS Bold Careers experiential learning program had the opportunity to work with Six Flags, Roadrunner Gaming and other corporate executives on the project management side. They helped plan, participated in and documented meetings and visits to the ESIX arena and the UTSA campus. They created documents, reviewed job descriptions, wrote news releases, and planned and hosted meetings for student, staff and community gatherings for the Six Flags collaboration and future eSports expansion at UTSA as a part of this ongoing venture.
"This project has given our interns and student ambassadors an amazing experiential learning opportunity, working hands-on in a real-life community collaboration project within a fun and exciting environment," stated Vanessa Kenon, UTSA associate vice president of technology compliance and community engagement.
Six Flags ESIX arena's grand opening will begin at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 19.
"This cutting-edge gaming arena is a first for the amusement industry, representing our dedication to offering a premium experience in every aspect of our guests' visit," added Six Flags Park President Jeffrey Siebert.
The esports arena contains game lounges, retail space, a beverage bar, event stage to host competitions, 50 gaming stations, gaming consoles, a live streaming station and theater.
UTSA students working at ESIX will play a crucial role in the opening and continuing operation of the arena.
"I expect this project with Six Flags to increase the number of students participating in Roadrunner Gaming, both on and off-campus, serve a great role for inclusiveness, and provide a space for students who want careers and to become involved in the quickly growing, billion-dollar industry of digital gaming and esports," Kenon said.
“Working at E6 has been an amazing opportunity for me,” stated UTSA Student and Roadrunner Gaming member Riley Villanueva. “I can’t wait to work and create more events for this community.”
UTSA is committed to providing experiential learning opportunities that transform students into competitive graduates who are prepared for successful careers. By 2028, the university aims to have 75% of its students participate in one or more experiential learning opportunities.
UTSA Today is produced by University Communications and Marketing, the official news source of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu. Keep up-to-date on UTSA news by visiting UTSA Today. Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram.
Join Community-Engaged Digital Scholarship Hub (CEDISH) and the Digital Humanities Student Association (DHSO) at UTSA for an enlightening workshop on "Responsible Datasets in Context," sponsored by the Mozilla Foundation. Participants will gain insights into creating contextually rich datasets, developing data essays, and crafting effective visualizations.
Assembly Room, 4th Floor (4.04.22), John Peace LibraryFinalist candidates for the dean of the College of the Sciences will discuss their vision for the college.
Multipurpose Room, BSE 2.102, Main CampusJoin us for this one-night-only event to kickoff "Pueblos del Maíz" - a celebration that pays homage to the vital role "maíz", or corn, has played in San Antonio's 300+ years of culinary heritage.
Carriqui, 239 E Grayson St, San Antonio, TX 78215Join the conversation around the current status of voting rights in Texas at this flagship event produced by the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project in honor of their 50th anniversary.
Downtown CampusThere are many citation managers. Which one is right for you? This workshop will explain what a citation manager is and how it can help you organize your citations, insert citations as you write your paper, and generate your bibliography. If you plan to attend one of our hands-on Endnote®, Zotero®, or BibTeX® / LaTex® workshops, we recommend that you start with this overview.
Virtual EventJoin us for a recital featuring a variety of Hispanic music from Spain and Latin America. The evening’s entertainment will include pieces by UTSA faculty, the UTSA Mariachi Los Paisanos, and special guest artists including the director of Texas A&M International University's Mariachi Internacional.
UTSA Recital HallJoin Dr. Rachel Yvonne Cruz, Assistant Professor of Mexican American Studies, for an interactive discussion on how music can challenge patriarchy, sexism, and colonialism through a guided discussion and live acoustic performance.
Assembly Room, 4th Floor (4.04.22), John Peace Library, Main CampusThe University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.