The public is invited to attend and participate in the Grand Opening of the Centene Community Ice Center on Saturday Sept. 7. The photos in the article are artist renderings supplied to us by the Ice Center.
The festivities, which include opening ceremonies, music celebrities, hockey games, free public skating, food, family friendly activities and more will begin at 10 a.m. The event lasts all day until 11:30 p.m. and includes giveaway prizes for the first 3,000 in attendance and a formal dedication ceremony at 11 a.m. It’s sponsored by The City of Maryland Heights, the Legacy Ice Foundation and the St. Louis Blues
The $83 million, state-of-the-art ice sports complex located at 750 Casino Center Drive features three indoor NHL-sized sheets of ice with public seating areas holding up to 2,500 spectators. The Ice Center will serve as the official practice facility of the 2019 Stanley Cup Champion St. Louis Blues.
A fourth covered outdoor rink will be a year-round destination featuring ice skating in colder months and serve the remainder of the year as a 4,200-seat multi-purpose venue for concerts scheduled by Live Nation, community festivals and other city events.
The day’s festivities will include the following activities:
Outdoors
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Street festival featuring the Bubble Bus, food trucks and family activities including jugglers, balloon artists, air brush tattoos, the St. Louis Blues Street Crew with their inflatables and more.- 10:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.: Music by the ‘Pride of Pattonville’ High School Marching Band.
- 10:45 – 11 a.m.: Boy Scout Special Needs Troop 724 presenting the colors and national anthem sung by Charles Glenn.
- 11 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.: Dedication Ceremony and ribbon cutting featuring:
- Maryland Heights Mayor Mike Moeller;
- Louis Blues Chairman Tom Stillman;
- Louis Legacy Ice Foundation Chairman Patrick Quinn;
- Louis Blues President and CEO of Business Operations Chris Zimmerman;
- Centene Corporation Senior Vice President, Chief Communications Officer Marcela Manjarrez Hawn.
- Noon – 2 p.m.: Music by the Charles Glenn Band. Glenn, who is best known for singing the National Anthem at Blues games combines with his band members to add a fun touch to the day.
Indoors
- Free one-hour public skating sessions with skate rental and DJ music at 12 p.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m., 6 p.m., 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Participants can bring their own skates or rent skates for free; however, size availability is limited.
- Hockey games featuring Blues Sled Hockey at 3:30 p.m., Blues Blind Hockey Game at 4:10 p.m., St. Louis Blues Special Hockey at 4:50 p.m., Celebrity/Coaches Hockey Game at 5:45 p.m., Police vs. Fire Hockey at 7:15 p.m. and co-ed intra-squad Lindenwood University Hockey at 8:45 p.m.
- Louis AAA Blues and Lady Cyclones will be practicing throughout the afternoon.
- Special appearances by members of the St. Louis Blues’ Blue Crew throughout the day.
Food and beverages will be provided all day by food trucks. Special exhibits will be on display throughout the day from the Blues Street Team, Lindenwood University, the Lady Cyclones and others. On-site parking will be available and supported with shuttle transportation to overflow off-site parking areas at nearby Hollywood Casino St. Louis. More information about the grand opening, registration for public skating sessions and ongoing programs is available at www.marylandheights.com/IceCenter.
The St. Louis Blues, the St. Louis Blues Alumni, Lindenwood University, the St. Louis Blues AAA program and the St. Louis Lady Cyclones are the primary tenants of the Centene Community Ice Center. The facility will also host high school teams and leagues, hockey tournaments and regional events from across the Midwest and nationally. The Ice Center represents a regional movement to engage more youth in skating and ice sports. Its construction fills a major need in the St. Louis community, providing the support and resources necessary to foster the growth of hockey and other ice sports and the health and well-being of the region’s youth. For more information, visit www.centenecommunityicecenter.com.
Mercy Healthcare will offer sports medicine, therapy, training and other ancillary medical services through an on-site space. The Ice Center will also house retail and restaurant spaces as well as concourses and support facilities.
Overall, the Centene Community Ice Center expects more than 1 million visitors annually, filling more than 16,000 hotel nights and delivering an estimated $20 million economic impact. The complex is funded through a public-private partnership with support from the City of Maryland Heights, St. Louis County, the State of Missouri, the St. Louis Legacy Ice Foundation, the St. Louis Blues and Centene Corporation. The 27-acre facility is managed by Spectra, a national entertainment and hospitality company, through the St. Louis Legacy Ice Foundation as part of a 30-year agreement with the City of Maryland Heights, which will own the facility upon completion.
“The arrival of the Centene Community Ice Center is a major step forward in the City’s overall development of the Maryland Park Lake District as an environmentally responsible community of recreation, sports, entertainment, hospitality and lifestyle amenities,” said Mike Moeller, Mayor of Maryland Heights. “This ice sports complex fits perfectly into our vision of the Lake District as a catalyst for regional growth and development. This is a great partnership with the City of Maryland Heights, the St. Louis Blues and the St. Louis Legacy Ice Foundation that will facilitate development of the Lake District and be a tremendous asset to the community. We are excited by what the future holds for this area.”
“As an enthusiastic hockey community, we are thrilled to further enrich the region with programing for all ages and physical abilities at Centene Community Ice Center,” said Patrick Quinn, St. Louis Legacy Ice Foundation Chairman. “We are also thrilled to introduce the sport of hockey along with other ice sports to the members of the community that may not yet be participants. The Grand Opening celebrations include free public skating that will allow everyone to join in this milestone moment.”
“From day one, the goal for the St. Louis Blues was to support the development of a world-class facility that would help grow ice sports in our region and shine a spotlight on the Heartland of Hockey,” said Chris Zimmerman, President/CEO Business Operations for the St. Louis Blues. “We are thrilled to be able to join the other Foundation partners and the City of Maryland Heights in making this dream a reality. What wonderful timing for every level of the game to come together in this facility as the Blues prepare to defend the Stanley Cup and then host the 2020 NHL All-Star Game in St. Louis.”
“Spectra is thrilled to open this premier hockey facility along with our partners St. Louis Legacy Ice Foundation and the City of Maryland Heights. The vitality of the community will shine through in all of the programs that are open to hockey fans of all ages,” John Page, President of Spectra’s Venue Management and Partnerships divisions, said. “We are proud to contribute to the growth of the region while continuing the celebration of the recent Stanley Cup Champions, the St. Louis Blues. In addition to the multiple ice rinks, there will be an opportunity to host events both public and private to experience this state-of-the-art complex. Spectra is dedicated to the fan experience and making it a memorable one that exceeds expectations.”
St. Louis Legacy Ice Foundation Mission
The St. Louis Legacy Ice Foundation was founded to provide the St. Louis region – with an emphasis on youth – with the opportunity to develop their skills in ice sports in setting that foster personal growth and excellence. The St. Louis Community Ice Center is our “flagship” facility ensures that our region will attract major ice sport events and tournaments, contributing to economic development and job creation, with the resulting effect of strengthening ice sports across our region. In these and related endeavors, we champion the value inherent in ice sports: commitment, good sportsmanship, teamwork, personal integrity, and respect for others and self.
Spectra
Spectra is an industry leader in hosting and entertainment, partnering with clients to create memorable experiences for millions of visitors every year. Spectra’s unmatched blend of integrated services delivers incremental value for clients through several primary areas of expertise: Venue Management, Food Services & Hospitality, and Partnerships. Learn more at SpectraExperiences.com. Follow Spectra on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn
About St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues have been a part of the NHL since 1967. During more than 50 years of operation, the organization has established itself as one of the premier professional sports franchises in the country. With nine division titles, a Presidents’ Trophy and more than 20 former team members enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame, the Blues have etched one of the most storied histories in the NHL. Through their history, the Blues have hosted more than 35 million fans and invested millions in the St. Louis community via Blues for Kids, the team’s charitable foundation.
