Has any owner ever entertained the thought of building an arena with a retractable roof?

Question

Bring hockey back to its roots! No seats for the weak hearted...only those committed enough to bear the northern winter!

Answer 1

Don't know aboot that but do we want to scare people away who don't like the cold?I thought we wanted to bring more people to the great sport of hockey.I'm sure in Buffalo they would have a problem watching hockey in -25 and in Canada can't be much better.I think it would be very interesting if it was a retractable roof in Phoenix.

Answer 2

haha. any team here in the south:wouldn't be able to:

lightning,hurricane,thrashers,stars,or any Californian teams

Answer 3

• On August 25, 1994 the Civic Arena roof opened to the Space Odessy theme song while the Phantoms played the Minnesota Arctic Blast. It was the first time the stainless steel dome was opened for a professional hockey game.

Civic Arena= Mellon Arena=Igloo

The only two other times I can find of it ever being opened where for an Ice Capades show in 1961 and for the movie Sudden Death (no one cares when this movie was made).

btw. I agree with your notion, every team that weather permits aught to have an outdoor game... even if it's only an exibition... That would be cool

Answer 4

Mellon Arena does that. they don't do it anymore though, there are technical issues since they've modified the building.

It's a neat idea but it's a lot of money for such a small return. Retracting roofs are nowhere close to cheap.

Answer 5

A few panels ripped off of the roof of the Spectrum in Philly one year. Besides that Pittsburgh is the only one I know of and that is coming down soon. I played in a few open air arena's as a Youth and Junior, and I know my family had a ball even though they froze too!!!!

Answer 6

They built it, the oldest arena in the league the Igloo or Mellon arena has one.  I think it was only ever opened a couple of times, once for the movie Sudden Impact ( I think that was the title)

As far as I know it has never been open for a game- would destroy the ice,

Answer 7

Don't the Penguins have that already? I think they showed it in that movie with the muscles from Brussels . But I don't think any fan nowadays would pay that much money to go and sit in the cold game after game. Especially with the elements out there. I can see it once in a while ( the Outdoor Classic) But not all the time. Not to mention that would not work here in South Florida  

Answer 8

NO But I would Suggest a NHL Moved to Miller Park in Milwaukee When Hockey ain't going on its has a Retractable Roof so when its Cold in Wisconsin like say January and February That would do the NHL a Favor and Send the Winter Classic to Milwaukee as well as a NHL Team, Thoughtful and Creative of me eh.