Beaver Creek restaurant and retail shops rally for Rodeo Rink
Local businesses will donate proceeds on Tuesday to the proposed ice sheet and facility in Eagle
Sherri Innis/Courtesy photo
You may not equate retail boutiques and a restaurant in Beaver Creek with hockey, but one hockey mom hopes you’ll consider shopping and dining for a cause this Tuesday. Sally January is the mother of 12-year-old twin boys who play youth hockey for the Vail Mountaineers. With Dobson Ice Arena closed during a major remodel project until November 2026, ice time is a huge topic. January owns the Alpine Kind boutiques in Vail, Minturn and Beaver Creek and rounded up support from fellow Beaver Creek businesses to host a fundraiser on June 3.
“Blue Moose Pizza, Avalon Clothing Company, Base Mountain Sports, Grouse Mountain Supply, BC Generation and Beaver Creek Gear will all be donating 20% of sales between 4 and 7 p.m. on Tuesday to the Rodeo Rink,” January said. “Grab a bite, shop for Father’s Day or shop for yourself and we have free parking in Beaver Creek right now, so come on up.”
January said Alpine Kind will be selling Rodeo Rink hats and 100% of the proceeds will go to the cause.
The Rodeo Rink is the name that parents and supporters are calling the proposed solution during the period that Dobson Ice Arena is not available. January said the hope is to raise enough money to build a temporary rink and structure at the Eagle County Fairgrounds to house Mountaineers hockey, Mites hockey, recreational hockey, men’s league, women’s league, Vail Yeti Hockey, the Vail Skating Club and any other ice users.
“Going down from two sheets of ice to one is going to make it really difficult for the kids to stay competitive and be able to get the time that they need on the ice,” January said.
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This rally cry for the Rodeo Rink has mobilized parents and businesses to spring into action.
“I think it’s really neat that this has become a grassroots effort for a lot of the parents because that’s usually how stuff gets done. Tell me you’re going to take something away from my kids that they love more than anything, and that’ll put a fire under me,” January said. “My kids have been playing hockey for six years, my husband helps coach, so, we really want this Rodeo Rink to come to fruition.”
January said they have currently raised $202,430.
“However, $350,000 is needed to confirm the new rink will happen, with the additional $300,000 needed over the course of the following year to total $650,000,” January said.
That’s a lot of hats to sell, but January believes the public’s support will start to come in once more people know about it and realize that the ice rink at Dobson isn’t available for a while.
“I just see the value of what this sport does for my kids and how awesome it is to see them come together and learn and be resilient and work hard as an athlete and a team,” January said. “I hope we can continue to give the ice users, all of them, this opportunity to still have a place to skate and train.”
To learn more about the Rodeo Rink and to donate, go to GiveButter.com/RodeoRink.
