The Ice Sheet at Ogden
{{Short description|Sports venue}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox venue
| name = The Ice Sheet at Ogden
| logo_image = File:The Ice Sheet at Ogden.jpg
| logo_caption = The Ice Sheet exterior
| image_size = 150px
| address = 4390 Harrison Blvd.
| city = Ogden, Utah
| country = United States
| location = Weber State University
| coordinates = {{coord|41|11|00|N|111|56|47|W|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| broke_ground = December 17, 1992
| built = 1992–1994
| opened = {{Start date|1994|04|02}}
| renovated = 1999 (concrete floor)
| publictransit = {{rint|uta}} {{rbox|603X|Ogden Express|#007cba|white}} at Dee Events Center station
| owner = Weber County, Utah
| surface = Ice
| cost = {{US$|6200000|1992|link=yes|round=-4}}
| capacity = 2,000
| tenants = XIX Olympic Winter Games (February 2002)
Ogden Mustangs (WSHL/USPHL) (2011–present)
Weber State University men's ice hockey
| website = [http://www1.co.weber.ut.us/icesheet/ The Ice Sheet at Ogden]
}}
The Ice Sheet at Ogden, also known as the Weber County Ice Sheet, is located {{convert|35|mi|km}} north of Salt Lake City on the campus of Weber State University in Ogden. The Ice Sheet opened in 1994 as a recreational training center for curling, ice hockey, and figure skating. During the 2002 Winter Olympics the Ice Sheet hosted curling events, a role it is expected to reprise during the 2034 Winter Olympics. The Ice Sheet is also home to the Ogden Mustangs, a junior ice hockey team in the United States Premier Hockey League and Weber State University's men's hockey team.
The facility, owned by Weber County, has hosted several World Curling Federation-sanctioned events. The Ice Sheet offers local competitions, public skating, lesson programs, hockey, curling, figure skating and speed skating, ice shows, and includes a pro shop, conference rooms, locker rooms, and an outdoor terrace for meetings.
History
Following the passage of Utah's 1989 Olympic referendum, Ogden City submitted a proposal to the Utah Sports Authority and Utah's Olympic organizers to construct an Olympic-sized practice ice sheet in the city.{{cite news |title=Utah Cities, Counties Submit proposals for Sports Facilities |author=Douglas D. Palmer |url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/107571/UTAH-CITIES-COUNTIES-SUBMIT-PROPOSALS-FOR-SPORTS-FACILITIES.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022032304/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/107571/UTAH-CITIES-COUNTIES-SUBMIT-PROPOSALS-FOR-SPORTS-FACILITIES.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 22, 2012 |newspaper=Deseret News |date=June 16, 1990 |accessdate=December 13, 2010}} On September 10, 1990, the Utah Sports Authority selected a site near the Dee Events Center in Ogden as the site of an Olympic ice sheet, over other locations in downtown Salt Lake City and Provo, Utah. The property for the venue would be leased from Weber State University for 50 years at a cost of $1.{{cite news |title=Ogden wins Figure-Skate, Hockey Rink |author=Joel Campbell |url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/121736/OGDEN-WINS-FIGURE-SKATE-HOCKEY-RINK.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022032331/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/121736/OGDEN-WINS-FIGURE-SKATE-HOCKEY-RINK.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 22, 2012 |newspaper=Deseret News |date=September 11, 1990 |accessdate=December 13, 2010}} A groundbreaking ceremony at the start of construction was held December 17, 1992. The facility was to cost $5.9 million, with $3 million coming from the State of Utah (as authorized in the 1989 Olympic referendum), $2 million from Weber County, and the remainder from private donations.{{cite news |title=Ground is broken for Olympic Ice Rink in frosty ceremony |author=Beverly DeVoy |url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/265218/GROUND-IS-BROKEN-FOR-OLYMPIC-ICE-RINK-IN-FROSTY-CEREMONY.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022032348/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/265218/GROUND-IS-BROKEN-FOR-OLYMPIC-ICE-RINK-IN-FROSTY-CEREMONY.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 22, 2012 |newspaper=Deseret News |date=December 19, 1992 |accessdate=December 13, 2010}}
Following the venue's completion, a two-day grand opening was held on April 2–3, 1994, which included performances by Olympian Scott Hamilton, and U.S. Champions Todd Sands and Jennifer Moreno.{{cite news |title=$6 Million Olympic Ice rink opens in Weber County |author=Lisa Riley Roche |url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/345419/6-MILLION-OLYMPIC-ICE-RINK-OPENS-IN-WEBER-COUNTY.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022032422/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/345419/6-MILLION-OLYMPIC-ICE-RINK-OPENS-IN-WEBER-COUNTY.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 22, 2012 |newspaper=Deseret News |date=April 3, 1994 |accessdate=December 13, 2010}} By the time it was completed the price had gone up to $6.2 million, it had seating for 2,000 spectators, and was {{convert|52500|sqft|m2|sigfig=2}} in size. It was originally designed to be used for practice and preliminary competitions among ice skaters and hockey teams for the 2002 Winter Olympics.{{cite news |title=2002 Ice rink Dedicated |author=Tom Quinn |newspaper=The Salt Lake Tribune |date=April 3, 1994}} It was later decided that the ice sheet would be used for curling events, and on May 2, 1999, the ice sheet closed to replace the sand-based floor with a more efficient concrete floor. The sand-based flooring allowed freezing tubes to shift, causing uneven ridges in the ice. The new concrete floor was finished July 1999, and the ice sheet reopened for public use within weeks.{{cite news |title=Ice Sheet scores new boss, new concrete floor |author=Don Baker |url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/699140/Ice-Sheet-scores-new-boss-new-concrete-floor.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022032435/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/699140/Ice-Sheet-scores-new-boss-new-concrete-floor.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 22, 2012 |newspaper=Deseret News |date=May 26, 1999 |accessdate=December 13, 2010}}
Winter Olympics
The Ice Sheet at Ogden hosted curling at the 2002 Winter Olympics, which had been first introduced during the 1998 Winter Olympics. The venue held about 2,000 spectators, and 96.7% of tickets were sold, with a total of 40,572 spectators witnessing events at the Ice Sheet.{{cite book |title=Official Report of the XIX Olympic Winter Games |last=Salt Lake Organizing Committee |year=2002 |isbn=0-9717961-0-6 |page=99 |url=http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/2002/2002v1.pdf |accessdate=December 13, 2010}}
It is slated to again host curling events during the 2034 Winter Olympics.{{Cite web |date=June 12, 2024 |title=IOC Feasibility Assessment of Salt Lake City-Utah 2034 |url=https://stillmed.olympics.com/media/Documents/Olympic-Games/Future-Host/ioc-feasibility-assessment-future-olympic-winter-games-salt-lake-city-utah.pdf |access-date=July 24, 2024}}{{Cite news |last=Schoenbaum |first=Hannah |date=July 24, 2024 |title=Winter Olympians will compete at these 13 venues when the Games return to Salt Lake City in 2034 |url=https://apnews.com/article/winter-olympics-salt-lake-city-venues-8f9b5bd62c41cd04468610c124b83143 |access-date=July 24, 2024 |work=AP News}}
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References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www1.co.weber.ut.us/icesheet/ The Ice Sheet at Ogden] – Official website
- [http://www.utah.com/olympics/venues/ogden_ice_sheet.htm Utah.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930155024/http://www.utah.com/olympics/venues/ogden_ice_sheet.htm |date=September 30, 2007 }} - Facility profile
{{Weber State University}}
{{2002 Winter Olympic venues}}
{{Olympic venues curling}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ice Sheet}}
Category:Venues of the 2002 Winter Olympics
Category:Olympic curling venues
Category:Sports venues in Utah
Category:Weber State University
Category:Curling venues in the United States
Category:Sports venues in Ogden, Utah
Category:Sports venues completed in 1994
Category:1994 establishments in Utah