Best/worst minor pro rinks

[GareFan18]

I live in KC and go to the Independence arena often (both to see the Mavs and to play beer league). It really is a great facility for minor pro hockey. The architect also did the arena in Allentown, which may be one of the strangest facilities I've been in. It's not bad. It's just odd. The benches side has a steep upper deck. The penalty box side is only a single bowl (well, except the boxes above). If I lived in the Lehigh Valley, it would probably grow on me.

The same architect also designed the Cedar Park Center where the Texas Stars play. It's almost EXACTLY like the Independence arena -- only slightly bigger. Also a great place to see a game.

 

[JMCx4]

I live in KC and go to the Independence arena often (both to see the Mavs and to play beer league). It really is a great facility for minor pro hockey. The architect also did the arena in Allentown, which may be one of the strangest facilities I've been in. It's not bad. It's just odd. The benches side has a steep upper deck. The penalty box side is only a single bowl (well, except the boxes above). If I lived in the Lehigh Valley, it would probably grow on me.

The same architect also designed the Cedar Park Center where the Texas Stars play. It's almost EXACTLY like the Independence arena -- only slightly bigger. Also a great place to see a game.

Until you mentioned it, I had forgotten how much H-E-B Center in Cedar Park reminded me of IEC/Silverstein; but it wasn't as well lit in the arena bowl. My wife & I met a local friend for a game @ Allen Event Center in Allen, TX, and for some reason I felt more cramped at that arena. But comparing my photos from all three, you can definitely notice the architectural similarities.

 

[royals119]

I live in KC and go to the Independence arena often (both to see the Mavs and to play beer league). It really is a great facility for minor pro hockey. The architect also did the arena in Allentown, which may be one of the strangest facilities I've been in. It's not bad. It's just odd. The benches side has a steep upper deck. The penalty box side is only a single bowl (well, except the boxes above). If I lived in the Lehigh Valley, it would probably grow on me.

The same architect also designed the Cedar Park Center where the Texas Stars play. It's almost EXACTLY like the Independence arena -- only slightly bigger. Also a great place to see a game.

The Allentown area is weird. I haven't been there for a hockey game, but have been to several concerts. The concourses are strangely laid out, with some sections quite wide, with little going on, and other sections very narrow, and clogged up by poles/lines for concessions/vendors/etc. I assume it has to do with building it in the middle of an existing downtown, so the lot size was fixed and irregular in shape, but they could at least move some of the stuff around to the choke points aren't so congested. It is tough to get out, get a beer, and get back to your seat in a reasonable amount of time - and concert intermissions are much longer than hockey intermissions. I assume if I was a STH I'd figure out a path and know which stand to hit when, but as an infrequent visitor I find it annoying.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

I live in KC and go to the Independence arena often (both to see the Mavs and to play beer league). It really is a great facility for minor pro hockey. The architect also did the arena in Allentown, which may be one of the strangest facilities I've been in. It's not bad. It's just odd. The benches side has a steep upper deck. The penalty box side is only a single bowl (well, except the boxes above). If I lived in the Lehigh Valley, it would probably grow on me.
The same architect also designed the Cedar Park Center where the Texas Stars play. It's almost EXACTLY like the Independence arena -- only slightly bigger. Also a great place to see a game.

https://www.ajc.com/rf/image_inline...es/newsEngin.16961342_Hawks_PhilipsArena1.jpg

Not the best image, but the quickest I could find.

Phillips Arena in Atlanta, the former home of the Atlanta Thrashers, has that as well.

 

[GareFan18]

https://www.ajc.com/rf/image_inline...es/newsEngin.16961342_Hawks_PhilipsArena1.jpg

Not the best image, but the quickest I could find.

Phillips Arena in Atlanta, the former home of the Atlanta Thrashers, has that as well.

YES! I saw a Thrashers game at Phillips. The seats on the penalty box side also had service at the seats -- like you get in some dugout seats at baseball games.
Usually when I'm visiting an arena I haven't been to, I take a walk all the way around the concourse before the game and in between the first and second period. It was odd that you couldn't walk all the way around at Phillips unless you had a ticket for that side.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

YES! I saw a Thrashers game at Phillips. The seats on the penalty box side also had service at the seats -- like you get in some dugout seats at baseball games.
Usually when I'm visiting an arena I haven't been to, I take a walk all the way around the concourse before the game and in between the first and second period. It was odd that you couldn't walk all the way around at Phillips unless you had a ticket for that side.

I've only been inside the arena once. I have either forgotten or didn't know that you couldn't go around the arena. The Jacksonville Icemen's Arena is similar that way in that you can't walk all the way around-due to a club section.

IIRC, there were around 4,000 at the Thrashers game when I was there on a week night. Do you recall if the crowd was small when you were there?

 

[JMCx4]

... Usually when I'm visiting an arena I haven't been to, I take a walk all the way around the concourse before the game and in between the first and second period. It was odd that you couldn't walk all the way around at Phillips unless you had a ticket for that side.

Several minor pro hockey arenas have that "feature" for interior layout/seating sections or building architecture reasons - one being Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena, as cited by @Cyclones Rock. Others off the top of my head: BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford, IL; Huntington Center in Toledo, OH; Knoxville (TN) Civic Coliseum; Pelham (AL) Civic Complex; TaxSlayer Center in Moline, IL ... maybe Allen County War Memorial in Ft. Wayne (been too long since I visited there)? And isn't Silverstein Eye Centers Arena that way?

 

[royals119]

Several minor pro hockey arenas have that "feature" for interior layout/seating sections or building architecture reasons - one being Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena, as cited by @Cyclones Rock. Others off the top of my head: BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford, IL; Huntington Center in Toledo, OH; Knoxville (TN) Civic Coliseum; Pelham (AL) Civic Complex; TaxSlayer Center in Moline, IL ... maybe Allen County War Memorial in Ft. Wayne (been too long since I visited there)? And isn't Silverstein Eye Centers Arena that way?

I think the Everblades arena in Estero is that way, and the arena in Elmira is as well. In Elmira it is because there is a second rink attached at one end, and that is where the locker rooms are, so the players cross through to get to the ice. I think in Estero it has to do with the foundation. As I remember you enter the arena at ground level and you are on the concourse level. Since there apparently isn't a lower "ice level" the one end is closed off for player and zamboni access also. I assumed that time because of the geology they probably couldn't dig down for the ice. A lot of rinks with 360 degree concourses have the ice below "street level" and the locker rooms, zamboni, etc are all on that lower level, with the concourse higher up. Reading is like that, although it is built on a slight hill, so at one end the lower level is street lvel and at the other end the concourse is street level. If you enter at the lower end you go up a flight of stairs (or elevator) to get to the concourse.

 

[Roadhog]

Several minor pro hockey arenas have that "feature" for interior layout/seating sections or building architecture reasons - one being Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena, as cited by @Cyclones Rock. Others off the top of my head: BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford, IL; Huntington Center in Toledo, OH; Knoxville (TN) Civic Coliseum; Pelham (AL) Civic Complex; TaxSlayer Center in Moline, IL ... maybe Allen County War Memorial in Ft. Wayne (been too long since I visited there)? And isn't Silverstein Eye Centers Arena that way?

CAA Centre in Brampton is another.

 

[Hockeyfan44]

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[sabremike]

CAA Centre in Brampton is another.

Erie, PA (OHL) and Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport (AHL). I'm pretty sure the old Baltimore Arena was also like that as well, but obviously that's a venue with no current team.

 

[JMCx4]

Has anyone been to the Fort Wayne Arena (where the Komets play) I've heard good things but have also hear there's nothing special about just a decent rink with a decent atmosphere.

@Cyclones Rock and @JDogindy would each have many more experiences to share, but I've been to the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum twice for Komets hockey in the last several years. Arena pictures from those visits are posted on my public Flickr page. My nickel's worth: As long as you can sit in the lower section seats of the unusually steeply raked seating layout, and once you get used to an ice surface littered end-to-end & side-to-side with corporate advertising, it's not a bad place to watch a hockey game. And the staff & local fans were certainly friendly to out-of-towners when my wife & I visited.

 

[GareFan18]

I've only been inside the arena once. I have either forgotten or didn't know that you couldn't go around the arena. The Jacksonville Icemen's Arena is similar that way in that you can't walk all the way around-due to a club section.

IIRC, there were around 4,000 at the Thrashers game when I was there on a week night. Do you recall if the crowd was small when you were there?

I don't really remember. I had very good seats that night...about 20 rows up in one of the corners. It was a Friday night (I think, I know it was a weekend) and I remember the lower bowl being full. I don't remember if the upstairs was full. I certainly remember Ray Ferraro on that Thrashers team. I liked him as a player and didn't know back then I'd love him as a broadcaster.

 

[Jackets Woodchuck]

I seem to recall being able to circle the concourse in Toledo.

 

[JMCx4]

I seem to recall being able to circle the concourse in Toledo.

You may well be correct. Inclusion of Huntington Center in my previous short list was based on memories of sitting in the upper deck. Could be the ground-level concourse does circle the ice.

 

[Jackets Woodchuck]

You may well be correct. Inclusion of Huntington Center in my previous short list was based on memories of sitting in the upper deck. Could be the ground-level concourse does circle the ice.

That's exactly the case. The club level (upper) ends on the attack twice due to a taller lower deck and scoreboard. Lower concourse goes all the way around.

 

[ek93]

Utica and Syracuse in the AHL are a couple more horseshoe-shaped concourses where you can’t make a full loop. Both due to the stage areas, and both very loud and awesome places to watch a game.

My favorite barn of all time is Binghamton, although I’ve been going to games there all my life, so I’m biased. Awesome sightlines from any seat in the place, gets super loud, and great lighting thanks to some recent upgrades. Concourses can be a little slim when it gets packed, but that’s about it.

I recently moved to Rochester and I go to some Amerk games here and there, especially when they play Bingo, and I’m not a fan at all. Dim lighting, scoreboard is over one of the blue lines, PA announcer sounds like he’s underwater, very gradual slope to the seating bowl so it has some not so great places to sit. I think I’ve been to about 10-15 minor league barns and I wanna like it, but just can’t.

It all comes down to personal preference, I guess. My brother loves the “newer” feeling arenas where he has his comfy seats and his fancy craft beers. I prefer an old rockin barn. To each his own.