Money for hockey arenas

More grant money could be available for hockey rink construction and rehabilitation around the state.

Sponsored by Rep. Sandra Peterson (DFL-New Hope), HF948 would provide $6 million in bond proceeds for grants to public ice facilities. The House Cultural and Outdoor Resources Finance Division approved the bill March 9. It now moves to the House Capital Investment Finance Division.

Currently there is no money in the Mighty Ducks ice facilities fund for the state’s public ice facilities. Grants from the fund would be capped at $400,000 for new rinks and $200,000 for rehabilitation and renovation.

The Mighty Ducks grant program was established in 1995 to help communities renovate or construct ice rinks. Between 1995 and 2004, the Minnesota Amateur Sport Commission awarded in excess of $18 million to help create 61 new sheets of ice. However, the last grants were given in 2004, Peterson said.

The New Hope Ice Arena serves 475 youth in hockey programs from several communities, which is just one example of why Minnesota has the largest amateur hockey program in the country and the largest girls’ hockey program in the country, Peterson said. It received a $250,000 grant in 1999 for a second sheet of ice.

A companion, SF778, sponsored by Sen. Ann Rest (DFL-New Hope), awaits action by the Senate State Government Budget Division.