Peaks Ice Arena facts for kids
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Looking east at the Peaks Ice Arena, June 2017
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| Location | 100 North Seven Peaks Boulevard Provo, Utah, United States |
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| Coordinates | 40°14′5″N 111°38′17″W / 40.23472°N 111.63806°W |
| Owner | Provo City/Utah County Ice Sheet Authority |
| Capacity | 2,300 |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | September 17, 1997 |
| Built | 1997–1998 |
| Opened | November 20, 1998 |
| Construction cost | $12.4 million USD |
| Architect | Valentiner, Crane, Brunjes, Onyon (VCBO) Architecture |
| General contractor | Hogan and Associates |
| Tenants | |
| BYU Men's Ice Hockey (1999–2022) Peaks Youth Hockey Association (2000–present) XIX Olympic Winter Games (February 2002) |
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The Peaks Ice Arena is a cool indoor sports center in Provo, Utah. It's a place where people play ice hockey and do figure skating. Provo is about 43 miles (69 km) south of Salt Lake City.
This arena was built for the 2002 Winter Olympics. It was one of the main places for ice hockey and figure skating events. The arena is also expected to be used again for the 2034 Winter Olympics.
Today, the Peaks Ice Arena is very busy. It's the home for the Utah Valley University men's ice hockey team. Many high school teams and the Peaks Youth Hockey Association also use it. The Peaks Figure Skating Club practices here, and there's a "Learn-to-Skate USA" program for new skaters of all ages.
Contents
How the Peaks Ice Arena Was Built
Choosing Provo for the Olympics
When Utah wanted to host the Olympics, leaders from Utah County had a special request. They said they would only support the Olympic bid if at least one event happened in their county. This is how Provo, a city in Utah County, became an Olympic host city.
At first, people thought about building a speed skating track in Provo. Others suggested using Brigham Young University's football stadium for the Closing Ceremony. After Salt Lake City won the bid for the 2002 Winter Olympics in 1995, planning for Provo's venue began.
From Practice Rink to Olympic Venue
It was decided that Provo would get an ice facility. Initially, it was planned to be a smaller practice rink. The first idea was to build it near the Provo Towne Centre mall. Later, plans changed to a slightly larger practice facility near Provo's East Bay Golf Course.
The cost for this practice facility was about $7.7 million. Then, in July 1996, the owners of Seven Peaks Waterpark offered their land. They also offered to pay for a second ice sheet in the same building. This new plan was approved, and the cost increased.
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On September 17, 1997, construction began next to Seven Peaks Waterpark. The building was planned to be 84,000 square feet (7,800 m²) with two ice sheets. One sheet would have seats for about 2,000 people, and the other for 300. The cost had risen to $8.5 million.
Soon after, the Olympic organizers decided to use the arena for actual Olympic hockey games. This was a big change from just a practice facility. This decision meant more changes, like adding 12 locker rooms instead of four, and more seating. The total cost then jumped to $10.75 million.
Opening Day and Beyond
The arena officially opened on November 20, 1998. This was a "soft opening" as some minor work was still being finished. A grand opening was planned for early 1999.
However, a situation involving the Olympic bid caused a delay. The grand opening celebration finally happened on September 29, 1999. The first event was a hockey game two days later. The completed arena cost $12.4 million and was 110,000 square feet (10,000 m²) in size.
On November 20, 2008, Provo City took over running the arena. It is now managed by Provo's Parks and Recreation Department.
Peaks Ice Arena at the 2002 Winter Olympics
During the 2002 Winter Olympics, the Peaks Ice Arena hosted many exciting events. Both men's and women's ice hockey games and practices took place here.
To fit all the fans, over 6,000 temporary seats were added. This boosted the arena's capacity to 8,400 people, including members of the press. A huge number of tickets were sold, with 131,067 spectators watching events at the arena.
The Arena Today
The Peaks Ice Arena is a busy place for ice sports in Provo. It is the home of the Peaks Figure Skating Club, where skaters practice their routines.
The arena is also the current home ice for the ACHA college hockey team from Utah Valley University. Several high school teams, including Timpanogos, Lehi, Payson, Spanish Fork, and Springville, play their games here. The Peaks Youth Hockey Association also uses the arena for its young players.
Besides team sports, the arena is open to everyone for public ice skating. You can also take skating lessons to learn how to glide on the ice. Sometimes, the arena is even used for indoor soccer games!
