Colorado College is moving ahead with the Robson Arena planning process, as it is working to open the new hockey venue in 2021.
Known as formally Edward J. Robson Arena, the 3,000-seat facility will be designed to host hockey and other events as part of Colorado Springs’ City for Champions initiative. Along with the arena, City for Champions includes a US Olympic Museum, United States Air Force Academy Gateway Visitor Center, a sports medicine center, and an outdoor stadium for Division II professional soccer’s Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (USL Championship).
Planning for the new arena is underway, as Colorado College will host its first in a series of a public meeting about the project on Saturday. More from the Colorado Springs Gazette:
The meeting will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Cornerstone Arts Center, 825 N. Cascade Ave. It’s the first in a series of community meetings and workshops for the arena’s planning and design phase, the release says….
In 2013, the Colorado Economic Development Commission granted Colorado Springs $120.5 million in state sales tax rebates over 30 years for the initiative.
The arena “is one of two Colorado Springs downtown sports venues in close proximity to the U.S. Olympic Museum — one outdoor and one indoor — with technological features coveted by competitive athletes,” the release says. “The two sports venues further solidify the city’s vision as Olympic City USA, providing unique venues to host the growing momentum of a strong and vibrant tourism industry.”
Nearly $21 million of the funding for the $39 million arena comes from a gift by Edward J. Robson and other private donors, the news release says.
Additional community meetings are expected to take place over the coming months, part of a process that could lead to a groundbreaking late this year and an opening in 2021. Colorado College hockey currently plays its home games at Broadmoor World Arena.
