Home to two of the strongest and most successful collegiate hockey programs in the nation, AMSOIL Arena boasts an exceptional amenity laden hockey facility. Take a virtual tour of Amsoil Arena by clicking
here.
Construction of the 6,756-seat AMSOIL Arena, which is just a few hundred yards away from the venerable Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center arena, UMD's former home since the 1966-67 season, began in April 2009. In all, the $80 million facility was a true collaborative effort, with the State of Minnesota funding half of the cost through general obligation bonds, the City of Duluth providing 27 percent of the cost through a voter-approved food and beverage tax, UMD funding 12 percent and the DECC funding the remaining 11 percent.
At first glance, AMSOIL Arena brings to mind a striking contrast with other top-notch National Collegiate Hockey Conference/Western Collegiate Hockey Association rinks and some familiar similarities to the old DECC. Set foot inside rinks like Ralph Engelstad Arena (the University of North Dakota), the CenturyLink Center (the University of Nebraska-Omaha) or the Goggin Ice Center (Miami University) and one is immediately struck by their sheer vast size. By contrast, a step onto the ice surface at AMSOIL Arena causes many to notice that despite having more than 1,600 additional seats, it's as intimate as the "old" DECC, with the lower bowl of seats hugging the ice surface and the upper level seats hanging seemingly right over the ice. Truly, there's not a bad seat in the house for the fans of Bulldog men's and women's hockey.
While the DECC was known as a great place to watch a game, the level of fan comfort is taken to new heights inside AMSOIL Arena. From simple things like seat width and leg room to necessities like additional restroom facilities, fan comfort and convenience are the hallmarks of the Bulldogs' new digs. Designers took cues from other successful and popular sports facilities and incorporated fan-friendly touches like an open concourse around much of the lower seating bowl, meaning that a trip to one of the numerous concession stands will not mean missing any of the on-ice action. And, if they do, there is a $1 million, 8' x 14' matrix scoreboard hung above center ice, which provides in-game replays, videos, and graphics in 10-millimeter LED display.