Builders of Utah Valley's only Olympic venue finally can say, "The puck drops here."
The Provo City/-Utah County Ice Sheet Authority, the Salt Lake Organizing Committee and Seven Peaks Development Corp., marked the opening of one of two Olympic-size rinks at The Peaks Ice Arena with a brief ceremony Friday."The creation of this new facility is a demonstration of the power of partnership and cooperation," said Provo Mayor Lewis Billings, ice sheet authority chairman. "By working together, we have been able to create a wonderful new recreational facility for our residents without raising taxes."
Provo and Utah County contributed $2 million each to help pay for the $12.4 million arena. SLOC paid nearly $6 million, while the Utah Sports Authority put in $449,000. The ice sheet authority owns the building and contracts with Seven Peaks to manage it.
"This is really the beginning of the rest of the story," Seven Peaks owner Max Rabner said. "Getting the facility up was the mechanical part. Now we're beginning the part as a community where we move forward to develop opportunities and experiences that will benefit the youth."
Centerville-based Hogan and Associates started construction on the 110,000 square-foot building near Seven Peaks Water Park in August 1997. Valentiner Crane Brunjes Onyon Architects, of Salt Lake City, designed the structure, which features likenesses of a hockey player, figure skater and speed skater on the facade.
When completed next January, the arena will house one practice or public ice sheet, a competition ice sheet and an indoor soccer field. The competition rink will feature 2,400 permanent seats and will be expanded to 8,500 seats when the venue hosts women's hockey games during the 2002 Winter Games.
The venue also will contain 12 locker rooms, a pro shop and a concession stand.
Utah Valley didn't figure into SLOC's initials plans for hosting the Olympics. Persistent city and county officials, however, persuaded officials to designate Provo as a Winter Games site.
Although the ice is hard, officials consider Friday's event a "soft opening." A grand opening celebration is planned for late January, when the building is scheduled to be finished.
Local youth and collegiate hockey teams and other skaters have already filled most of the available ice time. Public skating sessions will begin Dec. 1, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, except Thursdays. Admission is $3.75 for adults and $3.25 for children ages 4 to 11. Skate rental is 75 cents.
Adam Freiberg, a 17-year-old winger on the Utah Valley Golden Eagles hockey team, said he and his teammates used to have to practice in Kearns and are now excited to have an arena they can call home.
"It's going to be nice," he said. "We can get a good night's sleep because we won't get back (home) at 4 in the morning."
Goalie Ben Mayer, 16, also gave his approval to the new facility. "It's pretty hard ice. It's not soft. It gives you speed."
Mike Russell, Seven Peaks marketing director, said SLOC intends to visit area schools and teach them about ice sports. Children also will be bused to the arena for skating sessions, he said. In addition, Russell said, SLOC might conduct speed skating or hockey tryouts in Provo.
Brigham Young University and Utah Valley State College plan to hold physical education classes on the ice.