Montclair State University has bought Floyd Hall Arena and will assume ownership starting on April 1.
The popular Little Falls ice arena will be renamed Montclair State University Ice Arena. The arena is a staple of Montclair State’s campus that houses many hockey teams and clubs, including the Montclair State men’s and women’s ice hockey teams. It is also home to many figure skaters and the Montclair Blues Hockey Club.
The purchase has been in the works for some time now. Floyd Hall Enterprises asked the university to grant an early termination of their contract in 2017. Montclair State agreed on the deal and acquired the arena for $10 million.
Floyd Hall has two professional sized rinks, rooms for parties and camps, as well as parabolic sports training and physical therapy upstairs. It is always packed with people of all ages, whether it be parents bringing their children to hockey practice or college students going ice skating. The Metropolitan Riveters, a National Women’s Hockey League team, also practice there two times a week.
Erika Bleiberg, Director of Media Relations at Montclair State, explained why the deal will be beneficial for all involved.
“The arena and the stadium are popular venues for students, faculty, staff and community members,” Bleiberg said. “The ice arena, in particular, generates revenues that over time will offset the cost of acquiring the facilities.”
Bleiberg also explained how the university in particular will profit from this.
“After covering the acquisition cost, the facilities will produce additional revenue that the university can use to maintain the facilities in good condition and to support programs and services that benefit students and the community,” Bleiberg said.
The change is especially exciting for the Red Hawks ice hockey teams. Having a rink on campus is already a huge plus for teams that play at the club level. The purchase will only create more opportunities for the teams.
Robert Martinez, the men’s ice hockey head coach, felt that the purchase was beneficial.
“In terms of both the men’s and women’s ice hockey programs, there will be several positives over the next few years and beyond,” Martinez said. “Montclair State is one of, if not the only, program solely at the [American Collegiate Hockey Association] DII level to have an ice rink located on campus. Now that the university has acquired the facility, it truly is a place both teams can call home.”
Montclair State is already working with Firland Management, a Maine based company the university chose to run the facility, in order to try and secure earlier game times and increase the livestreaming capabilities of games.
Although this process is still in the early stages, the teams look to see changes within the next few years, starting with creating more of a presence within the Montclair State campus community. In the future, the teams hope to secure their own locker rooms, something they have never had.
Both the university and the Red Hawks ice hockey teams plan to keep their relationship with the arena strong. The arena will still remain open to the public in order to house the rest of the teams that call Floyd Hall home.
“Both teams have had positive and long lasting relationship with the Floyd Hall Arena staff and management and they have been extremely kind to both teams over the last 22 years,” Martinez said. “We are looking forward to the next chapter under university ownership and Firland Management’s operation.”
