AMSOIL Arena

AMSOIL Arena is a multipurpose arena in Duluth, Minnesota, home to the UMD Men's and UMD Women's hockey teams. It opened in 2010, replacing the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center Arena on the waterfront near Duluth's landmark Aerial Lift Bridge.

AMSOIL Arena
AMSOIL Arena
Location350 Harbor Drive
Duluth, Minnesota 55802
OwnerDuluth Entertainment Convention Center
OperatorDuluth Entertainment Convention Center
Capacity6,726 (Hockey)[1]
9,264 (Concerts)[2]
Record attendance8,372
Surface85' x 200' (Ice)
Construction
Broke groundSeptember 2008
OpenedDecember 30, 2010
Construction cost$80 million
($93.8 million in 2019 dollars[3])
ArchitectPopulous (formerly HOK Sport)
SJA Architects
General contractorMortenson/Thor[4]
Tenants
UMD Bulldogs men's hockey (NCHC) (2010–present)
UMD Bulldogs women's hockey (WCHA) (2011–present)
Website
decc.org/venue/amsoil-arena/

Naming rights for 20 years were purchased by AMSOIL, a corporation based in Superior, Wisconsin, for $6 million, one-third up front.[5][6]

The facility cost nearly $80 million; about half ($38 million) paid by the State of Minnesota through a 2008 bond bill, another 27% (about $21.6 million) by a voter-approved city food-and-beverage tax increase, 12% (about $9.6 million) by UMD, and the last 11% (about $8.8 million) by the DECC. Construction ran from September 2008 to December 2010, and included a 475-space parking garage with a skywalk connecting it to the arena.[7]

The first event held at the arena was on December 30, 2010. UMD men's hockey team lost 0–5 to North Dakota before a crowd of 6,764, tied for the team's highest home attendance that season.

In their first season in the arena, the UMD men's hockey team won the NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship. In 2012, the arena hosted the 2012 NCAA Division I Women's Ice Hockey Tournament, in which Minnesota beat Wisconsin, 4–2.

The arena's attendance record was set on June 20, 2018 during a President Donald Trump rally, which drew 8,372 people.[8] The attendance record for a sporting event was set on January 25, 2020, when UMD men's hockey team lost to their rival, North Dakota, 2–3 in front of 7,711 fans.

Comparison to DECC Arena

CharacteristicDECC ArenaAMSOIL Arena
Hockey seating 5,1006,726
Concessions 2835 + 6 portable
Club space 0 sq. ft.2000 sq. ft.
Suites 016
Leg room between rows 31"34" lower, 33" upper
Elevators 13
Scoreboard 10' x 12'15' x 20'
Ice sheet 85' x 190'85' x 200'

Arena Usage

Hockey

AMSOIL Arena is primarily used as a hockey arena home to the University of Minnesota-Duluth's men's and women's hockey teams. The arena hosted the 2012 NCAA Division I Women's Ice Hockey Tournament.

AMSOIL Arena hosted the 2017 Ice Breaker Tournament, held October 6-7th 2017. Four teams participated in the tournament. Michigan Tech defeated Union College 6-3 and University of Minnesota Duluth defeated University of Minnesota 4–3 in overtime in the tournament's first round. In the final round, University of Minnesota Duluth fell to tournament champion Michigan Tech 4–3, while in the consolation game the University of Minnesota beat Union College 2–0.

Other hockey events include preseason practices for the National Hockey League's Minnesota Wild-open to the public, Minnesota State High School League section 7A and 7AA tournament games, as well as a high-school all-star game.

Basketball

AMSOIL Arena hosted the Harlem Globetrotters in 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019, for which Minnesota Lynx's (WNBA) court has been brought up from Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Globetrotters Basketball Game on April 1, 2011

Events

AMSOIL Arena has held many different types of events, from comedians Jeff Dunham and Jim Gaffigan to Cirque du Soleil. The local AAD Shrine holds its annual AAD Shrine Circus fundraiser at the arena each April.[9] The arena also hosts concerts. The Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra had the first non-sporting event held at the arena, "Cirque de la Symphonie on Ice", on December 31, 2010, a day after the facility opened. It can also be converted to host dinners and conventions. On June 20, 2018 President Donald Trump held a rally in the arena that saw a record breaking attendance of 8,372.

Concerts
Date Main Artist Other Artists Tour Name Attendance Revenue Notes
May 6, 2011 Elton John Greatest Hits Live Tour N/A N/A
June 25, 2011 Michael Buble Naturally 7 Crazy Love Tour 5,368 / 5,368 $414,132
December 7, 2011 Avenged Sevenfold Hollywood Undead
Asking Alexandria
Black Veil Brides
The Buried Alive Tour N/A N/A
April 18, 2012 Trans-Siberian Orchestra Beethoven's Last Night Tour 2012 N/A N/A
March 22, 2013 Jason Aldean Jake Owen
Thomas Rhett
2013 Night Train Tour N/A N/A
February 1, 2014 Justin Moore Randy Houser
Josh Thompson
Off The Beaten Path Tour N/A N/A
February 15, 2014 TobyMac Brandon Heath
Matt Maher
Mandisa
Matthew West
Hits Deep Tour N/A N/A
April 6, 2014 Casting Crowns Laura Story
For King & Country
Thrive Tour N/A N/A [10]
April 11, 2014 Ludacris Two-9
DJ Sidereal
N/A N/A [11]
March 26, 2015 Little Big Town Chris Stapleton The Painkiller Tour N/A N/A [12]
April 24, 2015 Juicy J Brother Ali
GRRRL PRTY
DJ Shannon Blowtorch
N/A N/A [13]
December 3, 2015 Chris Young Eric Paslay
Clare Dunn
I'm Comin' Over Tour N/A N/A
June 1, 2016 James Taylor N/A N/A [14]
August 19, 2016 Kiss Caleb Johnson Freedom to Rock Tour 5,157 / 5,883 $406,092
August 6, 2016 The Beach Boys The Temptations Surf & Soul Tour N/A N/A DECC's 50th Anniversary Concert [15]
November 6, 2016 Keith Urban Maren Morris ripCORD World Tour 2016 N/A N/A
November 26, 2016 Bryan Adams Get Up Tour N/A N/A
March 4, 2017 Thomas Rhett Kelsea Ballerini
Russell Dickerson
Ryan Hurd
Home Team Tour 2017 N/A N/A
April 29, 2017 Brantley Gilbert Luke Combs
Brian Davis
The Devil Don't Sleep Tour N/A N/A
August 3, 2017 Chris Stapleton Margo Price
Brent Cobb
All-American Road Show Tour N/A N/A
March 13, 2018 Styx REO Speedwagon
Don Felder
N/A N/A
March 16, 2018 Little Big Town Kacey Musgraves
Midland
The Breakers Tour N/A N/A
November 7, 2018 Alabama Whiskey Trail The Hits Tour 2018 N/A N/A Rescheduled from September 30, 2018
December 15, 2018 Old Dominion High Valley Happy Endings World Tour N/A N/A
March 7, 2019 Dierks Bentley Jon Pardi
Tenille Townes
Hot Country Knights
Burning Man Tour N/A N/A
April 11, 2019 Luke Combs LANCO
Jameson Rodgers
Beer Never Broke My Heart Tour N/A N/A
May 9, 2019 Kelsea Ballerini Brett Young
Brandon Radcliff
The Miss Me More Tour N/A N/A
October 19, 2019 Chris Young Eli Young Band
Matt Stell
Raised on Country Tour N/A N/A

Awards

In 2013, Stadium Journey rated AMSOIL Arena as the best stadium experience in the United States and Canada.[16] In 2014 and 2015, Stadium Journey rated AMSOIL Arena as the second best stadium experience in the United States and Canada, behind Oriole Park at Camden Yards home to Major League Baseball's Baltimore Orioles.[17][18]

AMSOIL Arena was ranked the best college hockey arena by Stadium Journey in 2014 and 2015.[19][20]

The Wall Street Journal named AMSOIL Arena one of its 10 "Golden Zamboni" winners for its uniqueness among the nation's college hockey venues.[21]

References

  1. "AMSOIL Arena". Retrieved October 9, 2014.
  2. Gustafson, C. "Amsoil Arena: Duluth's new hockey home". Duluth News Tribune. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  3. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  4. Kuchera, Steve (May 11, 2010). "For $6 million, it's Amsoil Arena". Duluth News Tribune. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  5. Hanson, Howie. "Naming rights for new Duluth arena; UMD names new chancellor". Star Tribune. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  6. url=http://umdbulldogs.com/sports/2013/8/30/Amsoil-Arena.aspx?path=general
  7. Slater, Brady (20 June 2018). "Trump playful in Duluth". Duluth News Tribune. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  8. url=http://decc.org/event/71st-annual-aad-shrine-circus/ Archived 2017-02-20 at the Wayback Machine
  9. url=http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/content/best-bets-casting-crowns-plays-amsoil/
  10. url=http://twinportsnightlife.com/ludacris.htm
  11. url=http://www.livenation.com/events/432451-mar-26-2015-little-big-town-the-painkiller-tour
  12. url=http://www.twinportsnightlife.com/juicyj.htm
  13. url=http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/features/4046021-concert-review-taylor-pleases-amsoil-crowd-laid-back-performance Archived 2017-02-20 at the Wayback Machine
  14. url=https://www.perfectduluthday.com/the-event/decc-50th-anniversary-with-the-beach-boys-and-the-temptations/
  15. Swaney, Paul (January 6, 2014). "Stadium Journey's Top 100 Stadium Experiences of 2013". Stadium Journey.
  16. Swaney, Paul (January 8, 2015). "Stadium Journey's Top 100 Stadium Experiences of 2014". Stadium Journey.
  17. Swaney, Paul (January 7, 2016). "Stadium Journey's Top 100 Stadium Experiences of 2015". Stadium Journey.
  18. Baker, Paul (April 13, 2014). "College Hockey Arena Rankings". Stadium Journey.
  19. Swaney, Paul (March 24, 2015). "College Hockey Arena Rankings". Stadium Journey.
  20. https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704132204576136462675400454
Preceded by
DECC Arena
Home of the
UMD Bulldogs Men's Hockey

2010-present
Succeeded by
Current
Preceded by
DECC Arena
Home of the
UMD Bulldogs Women's Hockey

2011-present
Succeeded by
Current
Preceded by
Erie Insurance Arena
Host of the NCAA Women's DI Ice Hockey Tournament
2012
Succeeded by
Ridder Arena

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