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Not including the big ones like the Xcel, Mariucci, Decc.<br><br>I'd say the best would be bloomington ice garden, st. louis park rec center, grand rapids, and braemar. I can't think of a bad one. I'll say this though, E.P. has to get a bigger arena because the one there in just doesn't cut it. It would just be better if they played outside on there football field. <br> <p></p><i></i>

i don't know if it's still like this, but the brooklyn park arena used to have the worst yellow lighting. absolutely awful setting for hockey. <p></p><i></i>

Warroad Gardens, Theif River Falls Ralph, history: Roseau Memorial, Hippo..........Worst: Willmar's comressor is above ice in the ceiling making a buzzing sound constantly, Morris has about 12' cielings, Park Rapids gets so cold the glass fogs up and you can't see into the arena, .................................Good atmosphere's in the "tin boxes" makes good noise(Wadena, PR, Little Falls, Fergus etc.) Like all the wood at roseau............... <p></p><i></i>

Best arenas in the state without question, Roseau and I-Falls. These hold an amazing atmosphere for high school hockey. Even when nobody's in the arena making noise you still get a chill when you play there. gotta love it. <br><br><!--EZCODE EMOTICON START 8) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... lasses.gif ALT="8)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> spudfan19<!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :hat --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... s/pimp.gif ALT=":hat"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <p></p><i></i>

Brooklyn Park Ice Arena did used to have the worst yellow lighting of any rink that I can remember. Fortunately they do now have new lights (not yellow), and it is actually a pretty good place to watch a game. <p></p><i></i>

Hibbing Memorial, IRA Civic Center in Grand Rapids, and Bronco Arena in Int'l Falls are great venues for hockey with the stands packed and the bands playing. Great tradition in those buildings as well. The worst arena without a doubt that I have come across is the Fairmont Fairgrounds arena. Basically an arena that is set inside a horse barn and when you look across the arena you can see the dust/dirt in the air gleaming from the lights shining through it. Team rooms that a termite team would have trouble fitting into. The ice is horrible. <p></p><i></i>

i mentioned how i couldn't stand the old yellow lights at bp, glad to hear those have been changed.<br><br>as for nice arenas, i've always liked parade, pond in mound, BIG, buffalo's new rink is a beauty and burnsville used to be great.<br><br>for charming old rinks, i like proctor, braemar and used to love the old minnetonka rink w/lincoln logs ceiling. not the bubble though. <p></p><i></i>

Northfield's has to be one of the worst<br><br>no concession stand, benches and locker room areas are small, fans in front row can reach on to ice. <br><br>A varsity team needs to use three locker rooms.<br><br>when are they going to get a new rink? <p></p><i></i>

Wakota Arena. It was one of the first and remains one of the best. <p></p><i></i>

Hockeydad, somehow I forgot about the Northfield Arena. Having coached two dozen games behind the bench, I can also vouch for the lack of space there, 20 players cannot fit in the bench area. The seating inthe bench area consists of narrow benches which are not fixed to the floor and flimsy. There are steel support beams connected to the boards on the player side of the bench that can cause a player to lose an edge quickly if he/she isn't careful getting on or off the ice. Visiting players have to walk through the crowd and past the concession area to get onto the ice while being taunted/spat on from a balcony above. Poor design. The worst part is that college teams from the MIAC have to play there as well and use those poor facilities. They do have a nice doorway system when you enter the arena though, it is a large sliding door that opens automatically, so that is one plus. <p></p><i></i>

PT16,<br>Beleive it or not in Rapids so far we have not had the band even show up for a Boys Varsity game! Well maybe against Cloquet, as I did not make that game. Edina vs. GR, no band, Jags vs. GR, no band (you get the picture) place was like a stinking morgue. Powers that be must have decided that it is more important for the band to play at cross country skiing (jest) events. girls games, b-ball. The GR band is the size of the U of M band, parse it out and play 4 venues per night! <p></p><i></i>

I agree. In addition, you have to run through a gauntlet of fans as the visiting team to get on the ice. The locker rooms are the size of a nice closet in an Eden Prairie home, usually either hot as a sauna, or cold as the ice. There is no way to fit a full squad on the bench and avoid getting a Sherwood enema or a facial laceration from one of your players hopping over the boards in a hurry. After the game you will want to throw your shoes away as they will be slimed up from walking through the spit and snag, as there is nowhere to stand. The only food is vending machine french fries(not bad actually) or junk food.<br><br>The fans are rabid and right on top of the players. Somebody usually gets thrown out during the games. However, their team is well coached and they play hard. If you can pull a win out of that building, you've done a good job. <p></p><i></i>

The old Wayzata High School arena along with Osseo West come to mind. Osseo East isn't much better. Plymouth is a nice facility, but for watching a High School game, there is no atmosphere! Kinda like being at the Metrodome. <br><br>Grand Rapids, Warroad, Braemar are some of the best. Having visited GR recently for the first time the community there should be proud of their facility. It shows what community support can do. New Hope should take note. It<!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>COULD</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--> be a great arena. Lack of support from the City hasn't helped. Don't get me wrong, New Hope North is a still great place for the fans to watch a H.S. game. South ain't too bad either.<br><br>I would have to say there aren't that many "bad" arenas around the state. Some of the older arenas maybe appear on the surface to be a crummy place but have a lot of history behind them. I look forward to going to Cloquet and being in Pine Valley. Sure it's cold, the rafters and glass are low but you're right there next to the ice. <p></p><i></i>

the worst spectator rink has got to be anoka,you cant see anything in there unless you stand on the end. <p></p><i></i>

I would have to concur with what has all ready been said about the rink in Northfield. I can't imagine college teams playing there. How about some of you old schoolers. Any of you remember the Shakopee bubble. The last game I saw in there, there was no PA system, the clock went out in the last half of the 3rd period(fortunately it was running time) and the officials kept penalty time like BB officials counting the the half court violations with their hands. The best rinks include many of the old school rinks of the range. Grand Rapids, I. Falls, Eveleth, and Hibbing Memorial. These venues were standing room only every night there was a game in the 70's and 80's. No better atmoshpere or rivalries then in those buildings. How about Miner's Memorial in Virgina with the old organ pounding out "Oh When the Saints". What great atmoshpere and history. <p></p><i></i>

Breck has a pretty nice rink that is fairly new. They have an alumni room and everything, if you have the money why not spend it. The worst you have to mention Minnehaha Academy's rink and the crappy parade one with the wierd lights. <p></p><i></i>

Top rinks are Braemar, Warroad, Hibbing and Pagel. I can think of a couple terrible rinks. They are Anoka, Burnsville 2, Ramsey County rinks (although they have fast ice), both Eden Prairie rinks have crappy ice and seating. <p></p><i></i>

The best rink in the state is Thief River Falls' Ralph Engelstad Arena. The worst arena is Lake of the Woods' rink in Baudette. Bagley's outdoor rink had the best atmosphere. <p></p><i></i>

I hear ya JLS, it is sick the band is never there. In the early to mid 90's the band was at EVERY hockey game. What the hell has happened to TRADITION!!! Just because we have a crappy nickname now doesn't mean they had to take the band away too. <br>I love the IRA, you just feel the tradition in that building especially vs. Greenway when the band is there. I think there are some things they could do to make the IRA better. Take out the wood benches, put theatre style seating in. New Bose sound system for my D.J.ing if I ever move back. They could also add some seating. Take the wall behind the sections on the penalty box side out, add 4 or 5 rows of seating. Same thing on the North end of the rink. On the players bench side, add a drink rail standing room only section. Take out the railing, put a 4' wall with counter top on it. In the lobby, take the windows out, put glass in full length 6' tall, and put 4-5 rows of leather seats there, like a Club Level. In the SE corner add 8 rows of seating that wrap that corner over to the players gate. Then get the Semi Finals and 7AA Title game in Grand Rapids. If East gets home ice, why can't we for once. <br> <p></p><i></i>

The best has to be Greenway's Snake Pit.<br><br>also a classic is the downtown rink in TRF. <p></p><i></i>

Added information on the Northfield Arena: There is a concession stand now, they converted the only warm area in the arena into the stand. That arena is not only cold and old, but the spectator area has no handrails and when you fall odds are you will end up on the ice! The sound system is terrible, it is worse then the one at the Richfield arena my own rink.....<br>Can't get any worse than that. As far as good ones, improve the Richfield arena's sound system and you have a very nice arena. I am a rube and a homer ain't I.<br>GO STARS<br><!--EZCODE EMOTICON START 0] --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... /alien.gif ALT="0]"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <p></p><i></i>

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