In 1995, the Legislature created the Mighty Ducks Ice Arena Grant Program. The popularity of hockey had skyrocketed, especially among girls, and there didn’t seem to be enough ice time for everyone who wanted to play. Communities across the state used the grants to build new sheets of ice or improve existing rinks, according to the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission.
On Feb. 18, the commission asked the House Minnesota Heritage Finance Division to include a $5 million request in its bonding request. The funds would resurrect the program, which had run out of money in 2000, said Paul Erickson, executive director of the commission. The bill was held over for possible inclusion in the division’s bonding recommendations.
Sponsored by Rep. Joe Atkins (DFL-Inver Grove Heights), HF2541 would provide 14 grants for new arenas at $250,000 each and 15 renovation grants at $100,000, according to the commission.
The original program funded 61 new sheets of ice, matched by more than $120 million in public and private funds, Atkins said.
Rep. Dave Olin (DFL-Thief River Falls) asked the committee to include his bills, HF2211 and HF2605, to fund ice rinks in Badger and Hallock.
Erickson said Badger contacted the commission in 2002, after the Mighty Ducks program had run out of money. If the program is funded again, he said Badger would likely be eligible for a grant, even though the rink would be used mostly for figure skating, because the town is in Greater Minnesota.
A companion bill, SF2348, sponsored by Sen. Kathy Saltzman (DFL-Woodbury), awaits action by the Senate Finance Committee. Saltzman is a commission board member.