Olympic fever yesterday, today and for the future at Peaks Ice Arena
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- Hockey was played at the Peaks Ice Arena in Provo during the 2002 Olympics.
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- Hockey was played at the Peaks Ice Arena in Provo during the 2002 Olympics.
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- Skating students warmup during a college skating class at Peaks Ice Arena on Tuesday, Mar. 13, 2017, in Provo. Both BYU and UVU have skating classes in their course offerings.
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- Cliff Strachan, executive director of the Provo Municipal Council, competes for possession of the puck during a game between the Mighty Gooses and team Shinners as part of the adult hockey league held at Peaks Ice Arena in Provo on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020.
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- Brixton Gull, 10, skates between, from right, Jax Edwards and Madison Lowe as they skate along with Campry Victor and Lindsay Myers during a public skate Wednesday, April 5, 2017, at Peaks Ice Arena in Provo.
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- Lauren Spilker performs a routine to the song “Only Hope” during the third annual “Skate for Cancer” event sponsored by Provo City, Peaks Ice Arena, and Intermountain Healthcare at Peaks Ice Arena on Friday, March 20, 2015.
Nearly 23 years ago, a dream was conceived and started with the groundbreaking of the new Peaks Ice Arena. It would soon become a venue for the 2002 Winter Olympics.
Ground was broken for the Peaks Ice Arena on Sept.17, 1997. It offered two ice sheets and had its first games played in 1999.
During the 2002 Olympics, both men’s and women’s ice hockey games and practices were held at the arena.
In downtown Provo for those few weeks, it would not be unusual to see pack of hockey teams shopping and wondering down Center Street. The entire Russian men’s hockey team even came through downtown buying merchandise and easting at the local restaurants.
More than 6,000 temporary seats had to be installed to boost the ice center’s capacity to 8,400, including members of the press. In total, 93% of tickets were sold, meaning there were 131,067 spectators witnessing events in the arena.
Before the torch was lit though, the Olympic spirit came to Utah. While the Peaks Ice Arena brought this once-in-a-lifetime experience to Utah County as its only Olympic venue, it remains unique as it is still self-sustainable and operational.
“Peaks Ice Arena continues to operate completely on its own revenues, without any tax subsidy, which makes it the ‘rare of rare’ of Olympic venues,” said Scott Henderson, Parks and Recreation Director.
According to the International Olympic Committee, the goal of the Olympic movement is to “contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sports” without discrimination and with a “spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.”
“Provo is proud to keep the Olympic legacy alive in Utah County with the Peaks Ice Arena, which has been described as the best example of a successful transition from an Olympic venue into day-to-day use,” said Provo Mayor Michelle Kaufusi.
Henderson attributes the arena’s success to the partnership between Utah County residents and Provo. “Peaks Ice Arena was built planning on countywide use of our Provo facility, so the continuing high use patterns keep our two sheets of ice scheduled at capacity,” said Henderson. “The Olympic spirit is celebrated and felt by every participant skating or training in the unique surroundings of this Olympic Venue.”
As the Olympic torch is lit in Beijing for the 2022 games, Provo is reflecting on Utah’s time as its honored host, noted Nicole Martin, city spokesperson.
“To celebrate our 20-year anniversary, Peaks Ice Arena is revisiting their Olympic past with a night dedicated to the 2001 Salt Lake Olympics,” Martin said.
Peaks Ice Arena invites all to their “Skate Like an Olympian” event on Feb. 12 from 1:30-4:30 p.m. Events include an extended public skate while past Olympic highlights and the Disney movie “Miracle” are projected on the ice. There will be Olympic memorabilia, photo opportunities, raffles and goodie bags available while supplies last. Regular rates apply for public skate admission and skate rental.
The event will also be a time to prepare for Utah’s next Olympic bid, for either 2030 or 2034, with Peaks Ice Arena upgrading to accommodate the event needs. Provo City has already improved the front entrance to make it more centralized, while the State Legislature considers a funding request of $8.4 million to make necessary preparations, recognizing the value of a self-supporting facility and the dynamic future repeat Olympic facility.
“With approved funding and with the guidance of USA Hockey, the Peaks Ice Arena would receive a complete remodel of the locker room facilities, provide adequate egress and restroom capacity, add sufficient seating for an expected 10,000 attendance, as well as an overall cosmetic refresh,” Henderson said.
“As before, we will transition the temporary, additional Olympic bleachers into a programmable community space when additional Olympic seating is no longer needed,” said Henderson. “The additional community space then becomes another way to add to the diversity of our facility and ultimately, its continued financial success.”
In August 2021, Frazier Bullock, president and CEO of the Salt Lake City Utah Committee for the Olympic Games, told the Provo Municipal Council it is essential that Utah County is part of the games.
That said, there are some improvements that need to be done at the arena to help in the bidding process.
“There needs to be an $8 million renovation to the arena,” Bullock said. “We are seeking funding from Provo, the state of Utah and other sources.”
Bullock believes Provo will have to give $2 million to the renovation.
The expanded seating plan would feature an expanded arena area with additional bleachers that, when not in use, could create more surface area for other activities, according to Henderson.
“Once an Olympic venue, always an Olympic venue,” Henderson said. “Right now, people are skating on Olympic ice at the Peaks Arena.”
In his presentation, Bullock noted that every venue that was built for the 2002 Winter Games is being used. That is not common, he said, as most countries let their venues go into disrepair or even get torn down.
Bullock told the council that bidding for the games is different than before and that they have been in continuous dialogue since November 2020 with a new committee for the bid process, as established by the International Olympic Committee.
