 | |
| Location | 1901 4th St. SE Minneapolis, MN 55455 |
|---|---|
| Owner | University of Minnesota |
| Operator | University of Minnesota |
| Capacity | 3,400 |
| Surface | 200' x 85' |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 2002 |
| Architect | Rossetti Architects Ankeny Kell Architects |
| Tenants | |
| Minnesota Golden Gophers Women's Hockey (NCAA) (2002–present) | |
Ridder Arena is an indoorice rink at theUniversity of Minnesota, and home to theMinnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey team. The arena is adjacent to the men's3M Arena at Mariucci. It was completed in 2002, and includes the connectedBaseline Tennis Center for the men's and women's tennis teams. It was the first facility in the United States built specifically for college women's ice hockey, and has hosted theNCAA Women's Frozen Four on four occasions. The arena is named for benefactorsRobert Ridder andKathleen Ridder.
Planning for Ridder Arena began in the mid-1990s due to growth of theMinnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey program, and the need for a second arena on theUniversity of Minnesota campus.[1] Local businessmanRobert Ridder co-chaired a task force to build a rink for the women's team, but he died in 2000 before the completion of the project.[2] Funding for the new arena was approved in 1999, and included contributions from theMinnesota Legislature, university fundraising, and other private donations.[1][3] Ridder and his wife,Kathleen, donated $500,000 towards the project, and additional money came from "Wilson's Way", a fundraising initiative by Gary Wilson, coach of the women's cross country team.[3] The design of the facility was a collaboration betweenRossetti Architects andAnkeny Kell,[1] with construction completed by Shaw Lundquist Associates.[4]
Ridder Arena is located on the Minneapolis campus of the University of Minnesota nearDinkytown, and was built directly adjacent to3M Arena at Mariucci on its west side.[3] The arena hasseating capacity for 3,400 spectators, which includesclub seating for 200, and nineluxury boxes.[3] The playing surface isNational Hockey League (NHL) size, measuring 85 feet wide, by 200 feet long.[3] Ridder Arena is connected to 3M Arena at Mariucci by a tunnel to allow sharing of anice resurfacer and arefrigeration system.[1] The same tunnel includes, a locker room specific to the women's team, coaches' offices,referees' rooms, and public change rooms.[1][3] The facility also included a 5,000-square-footstrength training andaerobic conditioning area specific for the women's team.[1]
The university operates several parking facilities in the vicinity of the arena, shared with its other nearby sports facilities.[5] Within several blocks is theEast Bank station andStadium Village station on theMetro Green Line light rail, and theU of M Transitway busway.[5]Metro Transit operatesbus routes 2 and 6, passing by the arena on 4th Street SE.[6][7]
The Baseline Tennis Center is attached to Ridder Arena on its west side and is the largest portion of the complex.[3] It is home to theMinnesota Golden Gophers men's and women's tennis teams, who previously had no dedicated facility of their own.[1] According to the architects Ankeny Kell, the joint project was "brought on by theeconomies of scale and site considerations".[1] The tennis center includes 12 outdoor tennis courts, 10 indoor tennis courts, a complete tennis professional shop, and received the municipal facility of the year award from theTennis Industry magazine.[8]
Ridder Arena was the first facility in the United States to be constructed specifically for college women's hockey, and the only such facility untilLaBahn Arena was built for theWisconsin Badgers women's ice hockey team in 2010.[3] As of 2018, it remains just one of two arenas built for a college women's ice hockey program.[9] The first game was played on October 19, 2002, attended by 3,239 spectators.[10] Kathleen Ridder attended the first game to drop theceremonial first puck.[11] The team set its attendance record with a sold out crowd of 3,400 on March 24, 2013.[10]
The University of Minnesota has taken advantage of having an NHL-sized rink at Ridder, and an Olympic-sized rink at Mariucci for training and practicing needs, depending on upcoming opponents.[1] Women's team coachLaura Halldorson felt that having a smaller and more intimate arena created a better atmosphere for home games and an energetic environment, instead of playing in the much larger Mariucci arena to the same size crowd.[1] In the 16 years that the women's team has played at Ridder Arena, the team has won 12 conference titles, and six national titles.[11] Ridder Arena hosted theNCAA Women's Frozen Four on four occasions, in2010,2013,2015, and2018.[10] The Golden Gophers won the NCAA Women's Frozen Four at home in 2013,[12] and 2015.[13]
Ridder Arena has hosted theWestern Collegiate Hockey Association conference championships on ten occasions, in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, and 2017.[10] It has also hosted the Minnesota Girls State Hockey Tournament, and been used as a practice venue for visiting NHL teams and theIIHF World Women's U18 Championships.[10]
In 2010, the University of Minnesota did its own study onenergy conservation at Ridder Arena and the Baseline Tennis Center.[14] Changes were made in the airflow supply when events were not scheduled, resulting in a reduction of 17% of annual energy costs.[14]
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Host of theDivision III men's Frozen Four 2011 2015 | Succeeded by |
44°58′43″N93°13′45″W / 44.9785°N 93.2293°W /44.9785; -93.2293
