Elevating the Game at Comet’s LANding Esports Facility

A bold new chapter for student life

At the University of Texas at Dallas, student life just leveled up. The school’s new Comet’s LANding Esports Facility expands the student union with a dynamic mix of esports, dining, and events spaces—all designed to fuel connection, competition, and community.

Designed by SmithGroup and completed in 2025, the 17,000-square-foot addition brings together 80+ PC gaming stations, console lounges, a new Buffalo Wild Wings, a multi-use event venue, and an outdoor lawn with a giant screen for streaming tournaments, movies, and campus events. The vision was to deliver a modern, timeless environment where students feel energized to gather, play, and celebrate.

But the design team faced tight deadlines and the challenge of creating a space that would withstand heavy daily use while still projecting a sleek, contemporary aesthetic.

Modern style meets esports performance with FENIX^®

The solution came through the use of FENIX^® Innovative Materials in Nero Ingo, specified in both 12mm and 1.2mm formats with matched color core. For gaming environments packed with screens and lighting, FENIX delivered the exact combination of performance and beauty required:

• Ultra-matte, low reflectivity: Essential for reducing glare and distraction in spaces filled with monitors, projectors, and LEDs.
• Anti-fingerprint surface: Keeps the facility looking polished despite heavy student traffic, food, and drink.
• Soft touch: Ideal for those long gaming sessions.
• Durable and cleanable: Ideal for a venue hosting hundreds of students daily.

“We use FENIX often in our projects because it has a high-end, clean, contemporary appearance—and the durability is a plus in the type of heavily trafficked spaces we design,” said Kenda Draper, Interior Designer at SmithGroup.

Where FENIX^® makes an impact

FENIX^® Innovative Materials was fabricated by MGC Inc. into custom millwork and integrated throughout the project:

• Gaming Hub desks: Competitive stations designed to minimize glare, provide ideal competitive gaming conditions, and resist fingerprints – complete with integrated LED light panels that shift colors to match team identities, showcasing yet another way FENIX can support creative, high-impact design.
• Main reception desk: A sleek, welcoming focal point for the student union.
• Gaming Lounge TV wall and partition: Visually anchors the lounge while providing a durable surface for high-use areas.
• Dining/Event bar: Withstands constant food and beverage use while maintaining a sophisticated look.

By pairing FENIX with other materials such as glass, metal, and Formica^® ColorCore^®2 Laminate in Blackened Steel, the design team created a layered, modern palette that balances warmth with tech-inspired energy.

The result: A next-generation student destination

The Comet’s LANding Esports Facility demonstrates how material choices can shape not just aesthetics, but experience. FENIX’s distinctive matte finish, non-reflective quality, and resistance to wear make it a perfect fit for environments where technology, community, and style converge.

Now recognized with an ASID award in the Commercial Unique Space category and featured in Athletic Business, the project is more than a new addition, it’s a landmark for student culture at UT Dallas, where design elevates the gaming experience.


Credits

Project Name: Comet’s LANding Esports Facility
Location: Richardson, TX – University of Texas at Dallas
Architect/Designer: SmithGroup (Contact: Kenda Draper – kenda.draper@smithgroup.com)
Builder: Hensel Phelps
Fabricator: MGC Inc.
Products Used: FENIX^® Innovative Materials (Nero Ingo, 12mm + 1.2mm with matched Color Core); Formica^® ColorCore^®2 Laminate, Blackened Steel 8918C
Photographer: Wade Griffith Photography
Completion Date: February 2025

Learn More

Explore the Project: SmithGroup – Comet’s LANding Esports Facility
Discover FENIX^® Materials: www.fenixforinteriors-na.com