Memphis figure skaters lost their only permanent ice facility in
2003 with the closing of the
Mall of Memphis Ice Chalet. Since that time, The FSC of Memphis has
rented ice time for members at the
DeSoto Civic
Center in Southaven, MS during the fall and winter months (October - March) while also
working to support efforts to bring a permanent ice facility to the
mid-south. Click here if you are wondering why we
cannot offer ice at the Civic Center in the spring and summer months.
One of the most common
questions we receive is about proposed ice rink projects in the area. To date, NO ice rink project is
currently under construction in the Mid-South Region. There seems to have been many
attempts to put a project together but none have come to fruition.
RiverKings Post Game Skate events - Post Game Skates or "open
skates" are available
during the RiverKings Hockey Season after home games at the DeSoto
Civic Center. This is probably your closest option for local public skating in the area. The cost is $2 admission and $3 for rental (hockey) skates. They limit sessions to 200 skaters per session and you need to sign up at the Post Game Skate Table on the concourse during the game as instructed on their web site.
Bancorp South Arena - Tupelo, MS
This arena offered public skating on most weekends November 2009 - January 2010 unless the arena was offering another event or concert. Public skates were listed for $7 for 2 hours. The arena has rental skates and you can even book private parties. Check back next fall/winter for possible offerings.
Collierville Synthetic Rink
This is a
30'x30' synthetic ice surface designed for recreational skating during the
holidays. This rink was mostly recently offered at
The Avenue
at Carriage Carriage Crossing in Collierville during the
holidays in Nov - Dec 2007. It has not been offered since then. The synthetic surface is owned by the City of Collierville
and was originally used in the town square for seasonal events. The
City of Collierville also owns rental skates which the FSC of
Memphis has used in the past at club freestyles for those skaters
without their own skates. The rink and skates are currently in storage with the city and we were last told that there are no concrete plans to offer the rink in the future.
Looking for the closest
permanent regional ice rink facilities?
Point Mallard Ice Complex
1800 Point Mallard Dr. SE, Decatur, AL 35601
(Approximately 2.5 hours from the Memphis area)
Arkansas
Skatium
1311 S Bowman Rd, Little Rock, AR 72211
(Approximately 2.5 hours from the Memphis area)
Centennial Sportsplex
222 25th Avenue North, Nashville, TN 32703
(Approximately 3.5 hours from the Memphis area)
A History of Ice Rink Development Projects in the Mid-South: We are often asked about various rink development projects that have been publicized since the closing of the Ice Chalet at the Mall of Memphis. Below are a list of those projects known and their status. Please note that to our knowledge NONE of these projects are moving forward at this time. They are either not viable or are part of a long range plan with no concrete move forward date. If you know of a project not listed or are an official source for a project below and wish to provide additional information, please contact info@fscmemphis.org.
Dexter/Appling Rink in Cordova (proposed ice facility in Cordova, TN)
The project was believed to have begun in the spring 2009 with
opening in the fall or winter of 2009. At this time, the project appears
not to be moving forward and all sources have stated that the project has failed. News & Facts Published:
4.5M Ice Arena
Coming To Cordova news article in the Memphis Daily News was
published Jan. 15, 2009 and has additional information and a
drawing of the facility.
This project
received approval from the Memphis and Shelby County Land Use
Control Board in early 2009.
In March 2009, the rink proposal was approved through
the Memphis City Council.
Cordova Gameday SportsPlex Information (proposed ice facility in Cordova, TN)
This proposed facility was announced in 2006 as an expansion of the current GameDay complex in Cordova. It appears that the project is still in the long term plan for Gameday, but there is no evidence that this facility is moving forward at this time. News and Facts Published:
The Land
Use Control Board approved the development in November 2008 - Land Use Panel Endorses SportsplexCommercial Appeal -
November 14, 2008.
In May 2008, Gameday placed a sign at the future site and the sign explicitly lists
ice hockey as a venue and the sign is currently still posted (as of 2010).
There is also a small note about the SportsPlex in their Gameday Baseball
Newsletter which was published over a year ago: "The
Cordova Development Group is working on Phase II of the Gameday
Sportsplex featuring hotels, restaurants and other sporting venues
across from the baseball complex on Fischer Steel Road. Questions
concerning or interest in the Gameday Sportsplex project should be
directed to Frank Fitzgerald at 901-853-4770.
Ice Sports
USA, Inc (proposed ice facility in Bartlett, TN)
The originator of this project is in need
of additional funding to move forward and is currently seeking
funding.
Jonesboro Ice Rink (proposed ice facility in Jonesboro, AR) Jennifer DeAngelis-Kilmer, a FSCM Coach, has been raising
funds toward the development of an ice rink in the Jonesboro area. Visit her blog here.