By ALAN SNEL
Few NHL team training centers will play a business role as much as the Vegas Golden Knights’ new City National Arena, where media took a first look at the first historic sheet of ice Wednesday.
The Golden Knights are counting on their $25 million, 146,000-square-foot facility across from Downtown Summerlin and Red Rock Resort to be much more than a practice facility for the expansion team.
The building with two ice rinks will be a draw for youth and adult hockey leagues and for general public skating sessions.
And the rink with the freshly applied sheet of ice already has its corporate sponsorship marks. The Golden Knights logo painted at center ice is surrounded by the City National Arena wording, with four other sponsor logos painted: Findlay Automotive Group, Foley Family Wines (that’s owner Bill Foley’s winery company), Staples and MGM Resorts International.
The value in the corporate presence rests with the eyeballs of the locals and fans who play in the hockey leagues and come to skate during public sessions.
“This will be a hub of activity and not just from the NHL team side,” said veteran hockey man Murray Craven, Golden Knights senior vice president who oversaw the practice facility’s construction.
The building will be ready for the Golden Knights’ training camp, which starts Sept. 14.
Workers were flooding the ice with water to build up the ice even more and it should be ready for skaters on Friday or Saturday.
Contact LVSportsBiz.com founder/writer Alan Snel at asnel@LVSportsBiz.com