What’s the future of ‘displacement ice’ now that Vail’s Dobson Ice Arena is closed for renovation?

Vail’s Dobson Ice Arena is closed until November 2026. That leaves at least 200 families looking for alternatives for another season of hockey and other activities.

For a while, it looked like there was a possibility that county officials might lead a coalition of other local governments and recreation groups to fast-track a roughly $20 million events center at the Eagle County Fairgrounds. The county’s 2025 budget has $5 million for site work there, near the overflow parking for the Eagle River Center.

But the idea for building the center this year — which would have a seasonal ice rink — has fallen through.

Eagle County Commissioner Tom Boyd mentioned that at a March 28 meeting of local mayors, town managers and other officials.

In a Monday telephone conversation, Boyd talked in more detail about what options are being explored by the local skating community.

Support Local Journalism

Donate

In addition to his role in county government, Boyd is also a youth hockey coach and a participant in men’s recreation league hockey. He’s a lifelong participant in local hockey leagues.

Boyd noted that the effort to find “displacement” ice that would at least be suitable for practice for local skaters is a complicated job. But, he added, it’s important. In addition to the 200 youth skating families, there are also recreational skaters, adult league players and other ice sport participants who have depended on the ice at Dobson.

“It’s far beyond just hockey,” Boyd said, adding that most people in the community would be surprised “just how integrated into the community it is.”

Options and complications

With the idea of an events center off the table for the moment, Boyd said there are a couple of options under consideration.

The first possibility could be putting a covered ice surface at the Mountain Recreation ballfields just west of the fairgrounds. There are a couple of complications with that idea.

The main one is the length of the ball seasons, which start in early spring and extend into October. The other is drainage, which could add as much as 20 inches of slope over the length of a full-sized rink.

Mountain Recreation Director Ture Nycum said his district still needs to determine what kind of slope there is at the fields, but that site could be an option.

The Board of County Commissioners in February informally agreed to begin site work on the events center site, which could result in a flat surface.

Boyd said other complications involve electric power for refrigeration, along with equipment including Zambonis, dasher boards and other items.

Ultimately, too, any ice surface would have to be covered somehow. The Vail Recreation District, several years ago, used a temporary inflatable bubble to cover a seasonal ice surface at the town’s golf course. After four seasons, the town of Vail ultimately sold that bubble to a community in Rhode Island.  

Boyd isn’t sure a bubble isn’t the answer, and Nycum added that the expense of a bubble could hinder the drive for a permanent site.

And a permanent site is the ultimate goal.

Before that, though, the county commissioners and the valley’s numerous skating interests need to nail down a detailed plan.

“We need very specific plans,” Boyd said. And, he added, those plans will resonate beyond this valley. Boyd noted that ice in the Vail Valley impacts league play around the region.

And, ultimately, “we’d like two sheets of ice at the fairgrounds,” Boyd said. For now, though, “everyone’s just focused on displacement (ice) for now.”