Outdoor Hockey Rink In Omaha

An empty ballpark is put to use and thousands are expected to fill the stadium.

By Rebekah Rae

CREATED Feb. 1, 2013

  • Print

  • Construction on an outdoor hockey rink is near completion, but it's not going to stick around. Video by kmtv.com

    video

Omaha, NE - For now, emptiness fills TD Ameritrade ballpark, but that will soon change.  The echo of construction bounces off the bleachers, an ice rink will soon replace outfield.  MECA is moving the practice rink, used earlier this month for the U.S. Figure skating championship, across the street from the Century Link Center to the cold outdoors.  Mutual of Omaha will host the Battles on Ice, the first and possibly only time Omaha will see an outdoor College Hockey game.

 
The ballpark was built in 2011 and cost 131 million dollars to build.  Every winter, the unique ballpark sits empty, waiting for warmer weather to bring back baseball.  This winter the Omaha Lancers and UNO Mavericks wanted to use the field to play hockey the way it was meant to be played, outside in the cold.  MECA Director of Communications, Kristi Andersen says there are few events that can utilize the stadium during the winter, fortunately, an outdoor hockey fits perfectly.  "These are the type of event's that we're always looking to put in a stadium, event's that really fit an outdoor baseball stadium in Nebraska."
 
Blades will shred ice for the one time, hockey double header on Saturday, February 9th.  Ten thousand tickets have already been sold, proof that Omaha hockey fans can handle cold weather for the spirit of sports.  Omaha Lancers will face off against the Lincoln Stars at 12:30.  The UNO Mavericks will play North Dakota after wards.  Tickets can be bought at Ticketmaster.com