Scheels IcePlex

Scheels IcePlex

Location

Sioux Falls, SD

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The Scheels IcePlex was a highly anticipated skating facility for Sioux Falls and the surrounding area. Owned and operated by the Ice Sports Association (ISA), this facility replaced two existing single ice sheet facilities in Sioux Falls. The Sioux Falls Ice & Rec Center was used full-time and was also the practice facility for the Sioux Falls Stampede Hockey Club. The Fairgrounds rink was used during peak hockey season. Both of these facilities had poor ice and air quality, lacked programming space, and were not as energy efficient as more modern solutions. The key feature these two buildings could not provide—even with costly upgrades—was more time on the ice for practicing and game scheduling, along with a sense of home team pride when playing their opponents.

With hundreds of youth hockey and figure skating participants in the Sioux Falls Area, ISA was formed to create a facility that would encompass all ice sports under one roof and with sufficient space to support practices and games alike. The Scheels IcePlex is a 100,000 sq. ft. building using 11 acres at the north end of the 62-acre Sanford Sports Complex. The facility has three ice rinks, 12 locker rooms (4 locker rooms per rink), a figure skating clubhouse, and a multitude of accessory spaces including ice resurfacer rooms, offices, concessions, reception area, ice skate sharpening room, and meeting/party room. Also included in the facility is a clubhouse suite for the Sioux Falls Stampede and an ice training room for the Sanford “Power” program.

Spectator seating was designed to allow for main level seating on two of the rinks, and mezzanine level viewing on all three rinks. The Feature rink provides fixed seating on both sides of the rink for approximately 1,000 people. The Feature rink uses precast stadia plank fixed seating for the home team side, and aluminum bleachers for the visiting team side. Another 300 spaces are provided through standing room only along mezzanine railings and flexible table seating along the mezzanine walls.

The ice rinks were designed using two separate systems: a sand base rink floor system and a concrete base rink floor system. The sand base has significantly less upfront construction cost but does not allow the flexibility of a concrete base floor system (use without ice sheet). The decision was made to go with two sand floors and one concrete floor. The sand base systems will keep the ice on year round (with some exceptions as needed). The concrete base floor can be used for non-ice activities during warmer months such as training camps and events. The concrete base floor will be the last floor covered with ice based on programming needs.

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Project Goal #1

Create a single facility to replace two existing and outdated single-ice sheet facilities in Sioux Falls that would encompass all ice sports under one roof, large enough to support practices and games alike

Project Features

  • 3 rinks
  • Feature rink provides fixed seating on both sides of the rink for approximately 1,000 people
  • Concessions area
  • 12 locker rooms

Services Provided

  • Programming
  • Conceptual Design
  • Design Visualization Utilizing Building Information Modeling (BIM)
  • Design Development
  • Construction Documents
  • Construction Administration

Support Disciplines