Pettit National Ice Center

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Pettit National Ice Center
Pettit National Ice Center.jpg
North entrance in March 2006
Pettit National Ice Center
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Milwaukee
Location in the United States
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Milwaukee
Location in Wisconsin
Full nameThe Pettit National Ice Center
Former namesWisconsin Olympic Ice Rink
(outdoors, 1967–1991)
Address500 South 84th Street
Location Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Coordinates 43°01′32″N88°00′58″W / 43.0256°N 88.016°W / 43.0256; -88.016
Public transitAiga bus trans.svg MCTS
Capacity 2,500 – major events on oval
Acreage 200,000 sq ft (19,000 m2) – building
155,000 sq ft (14,400 m2) – arena
  97,000 sq ft (9,000 m2) – ice
SurfaceIce – 400 m oval, two hockey rinks
Construction
OpenedJanuary 1, 1993;31 years ago (1993-01-01)
Construction cost $13 million
($28.2 million in 2023 dollars [1] )
Website
thepettit.com

The Pettit National Ice Center is an indoor ice skating facility in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, featuring two international-size ice rinks and a 400-meter speed skating oval. Located adjacent to Wisconsin State Fair Park, the center opened on January 1, 1993, and was named for Milwaukee philanthropists Jane and Lloyd Pettit. Pettit National Ice Center Inc., a non-profit organization, has operated the site since the facility opened. [2]

Contents

The Pettit Center replaced, and was constructed on land once occupied by the Wisconsin Olympic Ice Rink, [3] an outdoor facility that was in operation from 1967 to 1991. The indoor climate-controlled Pettit Center was a major improvement and continues to attract many skating athletes from around the world. The Wisconsin Speedskating Club, Pinnacle Speedskating Club and DASH speedskating Club all train at the Pettit Center. The Wisconsin Figure Skating Club and Wisconsin Edge synchronized skating team practices on the figure skating rinks, shared with the Milwaukee Jr. Admirals and many other youth ice hockey organizations who use the facility.

The rink

The rink at the Pettit National Ice Center 2023 US Speedskating Long Track Championships 35 (Pettit National Ice Center).jpg
The rink at the Pettit National Ice Center

The Pettit is one of only thirty indoor 400-meter ovals in the world, the sixth oldest, and is an official US Speedskating training facility. The Pettit has hosted numerous skating competitions, including the National Short and Long Track Speed Skating Championships, the 2000 World Allround Championships,the World Sprint Speed Skating Championships, and the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Long Track Speed Skating in 2018 and again in 2022. The  elevation of the facility at street level is approximately 720 feet (220 m) above sea level.

The rink also hosts a skating school that offers classes for children and adults in figure skating, ice hockey, and speed skating.

Olympic speed skating gold medalists Bonnie Blair and Dan Jansen were the rink's first skaters.

Facility statistics

Track records

Men

EventNameCountryTimeDate
100 m Tucker Fredricks Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 9.66October 21, 2009
500 m Jordan Stolz               Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 34.40January 5, 2023
1,000 m Jordan Stolz Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 1:07.12January 7, 2023
1,500 m Jordan Stolz Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 1:42.31October 27, 2023
3,000 m Ethan Cepuran Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 3:40.78October 21, 2023
5,000 m Casey Dawson Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 6:15.61November 1, 2024
10,000 m Ethan Cepuran Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 13:09.04January 7, 2023

Women

EventNameCountryTimeDate
100 m Heather Richardson-Bergsma Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 10.33January 9, 2015
500 m Heather Richardson-Bergsma Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 37.24January 9, 2015
1,000 m Brittany Bowe Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 1:13.63January 6, 2022
1,500 m Brittany Bowe Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 1:53.50     January 10, 2015
3,000 m Greta Myers Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 4:05.45November 1, 2024
5,000 m Gunda Niemann-Stirnemann Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 7:02.11February 6, 2000
10,000 m Melissa Dahlmann Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 15:49.11January 26, 2013

Operational structure

Opened on December 31, 1992, the Pettit National Ice Center combined private and public sources for its construction funding. A financial restructuring in conjunction with the State of Wisconsin in January 2007 allowed the Pettit Center to be relieved of burdensome lease payments and past-due rent to the State through a negotiated payment of more than $5 million funded by bank-sponsored financing and a $2 million private contribution. Today, the Pettit National Ice Center, Inc. operates as a private, 501(c)-3 non-profit corporation, that generates 90% of its revenue from operations, including public skating, skating instruction, youth and adult figure skating and hockey programs, running track, and group and corporate meetings, as well as Olympic training. The balance is received through facility and program sponsorships and charitable contributions. The Center has a balanced annual operating budget, while continuing to raise sponsorships and charitable contributions for improvements to the Center.

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References

  1. ↑ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–" . Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Report Highlights". An Audit: State Fair Park. Janice Mueller, state auditor. June 2006.
  3. ↑ "Wisconsin speed skate rink trains champs, loses money". Spokesmna-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. February 14, 1976. p. 16.
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