The ice was prepped and skaters anxious to try out the new rink. The Maryville University Hockey Center, home of Maryville’s Saints Hockey, officially opened on Sunday.

The grand opening celebration included a ribbon cutting ceremony, tours of the facility and a free public skate. Attendees also enjoyed food, games and bounce houses.

“We are thrilled to celebrate the opening of the Maryville University Hockey Center, and help bring this dream to reality for the Chesterfield Valley community,” said president Mark Lombardi, PhD. “The Saints hockey teams now have a state-of-the-art facility where they can train and compete, and we are also providing a space for future generations of youth players to grow and develop.”

Development for the Hockey Center began last fall, with construction completed earlier this month. The 84,000-square-foot facility features two NHL-sized rinks, seating for approximately 2,000 spectators, a second-floor viewing platform, locker rooms, team meeting rooms and offices.

Maryville University is the largest leaseholder of the facility, which is owned and operated by the Chesterfield Hockey Association. The University was instrumental in helping the project come to fruition and will help with the sustainability of the facility because of its use of ice during non-peak hours.

In addition to Maryville University, users of new facility will include the hockey teams of Chaminade College Preparatory School, Saint Louis Priory, and Marquette, Lafayette and Parkway West high schools.

For more information, visit www.maryvilleuhc.com or follow on Facebook.

Thank you to the St. Louis Business Journal for your coverage of this good news!