Yahoo Sports UNC ice hockey needs $25M to build its own arena. Here’s what needs to happen next
A $25 million capital campaign could put the UNC Hockey team on track to host fans at its own arena in Chapel Hill by 2028, organizers said.
The project’s organizers are also working on naming rights for the 3,000-seat hockey arena, they said in a news release Thursday.
The N.C. Tar Heels Ice Hockey Booster Club, a nonprofit organization supporting UNC-Chapel Hill’s Ice Hockey Club, first announced the arena plans in October 2023.
The group hasn’t filed an application yet with the town, but 4 acres are under contract at Carraway Village off Eubanks Road in northern Chapel Hill. The land is between Interstate 40, behind the Chapel Hill Transit park-and-ride lot and west of a new self-storage building and future Putt-Putt Fun Center.
The proposed design could include seven skyboxes, offices, locker rooms, a skate rental facility and concessions area, former club President Greg Morey told The News & Observer last year. A bar and grill are also possible, he said.
The town’s economy also could benefit from home games and tournaments that generate revenues from concession and retail sales, food and lodging occupancy taxes, and support for businesses in that growing part of town.
Group forms to guide arena campaign
The UNC team plays about 18 games a year, and the arena could provide public skating and other activities, Morey has said.
The group is “very pleased with the positive feedback” so far, current Booster Club President Colin Wahl said in a news release Thursday.
“There is much enthusiasm from potential tenants and community residents alike who view the future arena as an important asset to the community for ice hockey, entertainment events, and family-focused community activities,” Wahl said.
An advisory board of business executives, UNC alumni, community leaders and ice hockey enthusiasts will help the Booster Club lead the three-year, $25 million capital campaign that launched this week, the release said.
The anticipated land sale could close by May 2025, with an opening date for the arena slated for mid-2028, it said.
Tier I hockey, more ice time in Chapel Hill
The Atlantic Coast Collegiate Hockey League announced recently that UNC’s Division II ice hockey team will compete next year in the Division I tier, and the university will also add a competitive ice hockey club for women, the release said.
The 30-member men’s ice hockey team has been based in the Orange County SportsPlex in Hillsborough for years, while looking for opportunities to build its own arena, Morey has said.
The SportsPlex, like other Triangle area hockey arenas, experiences a high demand for ice time, especially during hockey season, making it hard for recreation and competitive teams to schedule games and practice times at a reasonable hour.
The SportsPlex is also home to Elon University and Triangle Youth Hockey of NC teams and several hockey leagues and clubs, and offers public skating times, classes, private lessons, and figure and synchronized skating.
A high-profile dispute with the Hillsborough Hogs earlier this year threatened the loss of the longtime partnership between the SportsPlex and 44-year-old youth hockey program. SportsPlex manager Recreation Factory Partners reached a deal in April to keep the program on the Orange County-owned ice.
How to help
Donations to the capital campaign are tax-deductible and can be made at unchockey.com/donate.
