There was a time when the only ice in Las Vegas could be found in cocktail glasses — but that was before the success of the Golden Knights. Today, youth hockey and recreational and figure skating are popular pastimes.
Now the city of Las Vegas is pushing to bring even more ice to the desert, seeking proposals for a two-rink hockey arena on five acres near Deer Springs Way and the 215 Beltway to serve the far northwest valley.
Families in Skye Canyon, Providence and nearby communities often drive more than 10 miles for rink access, while existing facilities struggle to keep up with demand.
Real estate agent Lance Sherman of Keller Williams Realty said the proposal complements the area’s deep-rooted commitment to active lifestyles and could help attract additional commercial development.
“I love the idea,” Sherman said. “I think the northwest could benefit from more indoor activities for children, especially with the heat of summer.”
Sherman said that while he’s not a skater himself, the rink would be ideal for his young daughter and son, and added that “with today’s gas prices, families with children who love skating would appreciate driving less.”
He said the arena could spur additional commercial growth, including retail and “more indoor children’s activities like dance schools, karate studios, and indoor soccer.”
Las Vegas Councilwoman Francis Allen-Palenske, who represents the area, said the arena could become the first phase of a larger sports complex. The proposal period remains open through June 15.
City planning documents describe the area around the proposed arena as one of Southern Nevada’s fastest-growing residential submarkets, with population projected to grow 2.1 percent annually through 2030. By then, the population in a 10-mile radius is expected to exceed 704,000, with average household incomes topping $123,000, a profile viewed as ideal for year-round youth and adult ice sports.
NEW PARK ON THE WAY: The city of Las Vegas broke ground on the Igor Soldo Memorial Park in Skye Canyon, honoring the fallen Metro officer killed in a 2014 ambush that also claimed officer Alyn Beck and civilian Joseph Wilcox. Located near Iron Mountain Road and Alpine Ridge Way, the park will include a splash pad, playground, soccer fields and pickleball courts. Police leaders remembered Soldo as an immigrant success story, mentor and devoted family man. The park is expected to open in early 2027.
FOUNDATIONAL TRUTH: The Skye Canyon police substation near Hualapai and Grand Teton continues moving toward its expected completion in the first quarter of next year. The foundation was poured in April — and the engineering-writing side of my brain insists on noting it required 125 cubic yards of concrete.
Walls are now going up, with mechanical, electrical and plumbing work expected to begin in late spring and early summer.
Doug Puppel is a writer and model in Las Vegas who has written about construction for more than 25 years.
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