AMSOIL Arena is a multipurpose arena in Duluth, Minnesota, home to the UMD Men's and UMD Women's hockey teams. It opened in 2010, replacing the

Duluth Entertainment Convention Center Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC) is a multi-purpose arena and convention center complex located in Duluth, Minnesota. It was home to the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldog hockey team from 1966 to 2010. The DECC is located on th ...

Arena on the waterfront near Duluth's landmark Aerial Lift Bridge. Naming rights for 20 years were purchased by AMSOIL, a corporation based in

Superior, Wisconsin , native_name_lang = oj , nickname = , total_type = , motto = , image_skyline = Tower Avenue.jpg , imagesize = , image_caption = Downtown Superior , ima ...

, for $6 million, one-third up front. The facility cost nearly $80 million; about half ($38 million) paid by the State of Minnesota through a 2008 bond bill, another 27% (about $21.6 million) by a voter-approved city food-and-beverage tax increase, 12% (about $9.6 million) by UMD, and the last 11% (about $8.8 million) by the DECC. Construction ran from September 2008 to December 2010, and included a 475-space parking garage with a skywalk connecting it to the arena. The first event held at the arena was on December 30, 2010. UMD men's hockey team lost 0–5 to North Dakota before a crowd of 6,764, tied for the team's highest home attendance that season. In their first season in the arena, the UMD men's hockey team won the NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship. In 2012, the arena hosted the

2012 NCAA Division I Women's Ice Hockey Tournament The 2012 NCAA National Collegiate Women's Ice Hockey Tournament involved eight schools in Single-elimination tournament, single-elimination play that determined the national champion of women's National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA Divisi ...

, in which Minnesota beat Wisconsin, 4–2. The arena's attendance record was set on June 20, 2018 during a President Donald Trump rally, which drew 8,372 people. The attendance record for a sporting event was set on January 25, 2020, when UMD men's hockey team lost to their rival, North Dakota, 2–3 in front of 7,711 fans.

Comparison to DECC Arena

Arena Usage

Hockey

AMSOIL Arena is primarily used as a hockey arena home to the University of Minnesota-Duluth's men's and women's hockey teams. The arena hosted the

. AMSOIL Arena hosted the 2017 Ice Breaker Tournament, held October 6-7th 2017. Four teams participated in the tournament. Michigan Tech defeated Union College 6-3 and University of Minnesota Duluth defeated University of Minnesota 4–3 in overtime in the tournament's first round. In the final round, University of Minnesota Duluth fell to tournament champion Michigan Tech 4–3, while in the consolation game the University of Minnesota beat Union College 2–0. Other hockey events include preseason practices for the National Hockey League's Minnesota Wild-open to the public, Minnesota State High School League section 7A and 7AA tournament games, as well as a high-school all-star game.

Basketball

AMSOIL Arena hosted the

Harlem Globetrotters The Harlem Globetrotters are an American exhibition basketball team. They combine athleticism, theater, and comedy in their style of play. Created in 1926 by Tommy Brookins in Chicago, Illinois, the team adopted the name ''Harlem'' because of i ...

in 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019, for which

Minnesota Lynx The Minnesota Lynx are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team won the WNBA title in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017. Founded pr ...

's ( WNBA) court has been brought up from

Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

Events

AMSOIL Arena has held many different types of events, from comedians Jeff Dunham and Jim Gaffigan to Cirque du Soleil. The local AAD Shrine holds its annual AAD Shrine Circus fundraiser at the arena each April. The arena also hosts concerts. The Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra had the first non-sporting event held at the arena, "Cirque de la Symphonie on Ice", on December 31, 2010, a day after the facility opened. It can also be converted to host dinners and

conventions Convention may refer to: * Convention (norm), a custom or tradition, a standard of presentation or conduct ** Treaty, an agreement in international law * Convention (meeting), meeting of a (usually large) group of individuals and/or companies in a ...

. On June 20, 2018 President Donald Trump held a rally in the arena that saw a record breaking attendance of 8,372. The following is not a complete list of concerts.

Awards

In 2013, ''Stadium Journey'' rated AMSOIL Arena as the best stadium experience in the United States and Canada. In 2014 and 2015, ''Stadium Journey'' rated AMSOIL Arena as the second best stadium experience in the United States and Canada, behind Oriole Park at Camden Yards home to Major League Baseball's Baltimore Orioles. AMSOIL Arena was ranked the best college hockey arena by ''Stadium Journey'' in 2014 and 2015. '' The Wall Street Journal'' named AMSOIL Arena one of its 10 "Golden Zamboni" winners for its uniqueness among the nation's college hockey venues.

References

{{Coord, 46, 46, 53, N, 92, 05, 53, W, type:landmark_region:US-MN, display=title College ice hockey venues in the United States Sports venues in Minnesota Convention centers in Minnesota Buildings and structures in Duluth, Minnesota Tourist attractions in Duluth, Minnesota Indoor ice hockey venues in Minnesota 2010 establishments in Minnesota Sports venues completed in 2010 Sports Venues in Duluth MN-WI Metro Sports venues in northern Minnesota