Ralph Engelstad Arena - Facility

Facility

Ralph Engelstad Arena, which seats 11,640, opened on October 5, 2001 and is located on the UND campus. The REA is used by the UND men's and women's ice hockey teams. The arena also hosts many non-athletic events including concerts and a yearly circus. Called the "Taj Mahal of hockey," $110 million arena was built with materials that would not usually be found in such a facility. For instance, the concourses of the REA are covered in granite flooring, each spectator seat is made of cherry wood and leather upholstery, escalators bring spectators between levels, and full-color LCD displays dot the arena. The REA has been called one of the finest facilities of its kind in the world. Former NHL hockey player Wayne Gretzky has called the structure "one of the most beautiful buildings we have in North America."

The REA complex has evolved to include more than just the main arena. A second Olympic-sized sheet of ice sits adjacent to the main arena. An addition to the main arena, The Betty Engelstad Sioux Center (or simply The Betty) was completed in 2004 and is now the home of UND's basketball and volleyball teams.

Although located within the campus of the University of North Dakota the arena and land itself is owned by The Engelstad Family Foundation and rented conditionally to UND each year for $1. This setup was created to give the Engelstad family control and final say regarding the facility.