HERMANTOWN — Two of the Northland's most successful hockey programs in recent years will soon have an arena to match, after a ceremony Wednesday broke ground on a new arena in Hermantown.
Hermantown boys hockey coach Pat Andrews and Proctor/Hermantown girls hockey coach Emma Stauber were among a group that included Hermantown Mayor Wayne Boucher and Minnesota State Representatives Natalie Zelezniker and Grant Hauschild who attended the groundbreaking ceremony for NorthStar Ford Arena.
Hermantown lost to St. Cloud Cathedral in the Class A state boys hockey tournament last March.
Hermantown voters approved a half-cent sales tax in 2022 to cover $10.8 million of the building's roughly $25 million budget. Another $7.5 million was raised through state bond funds, while more than $6 million was raised through private donations and sponsorships, ensuring the arena's construction would not affect property taxes.
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The new arena will not only provide a state-of-the-art facility for the Hawks and Mirage, but will also be a long-awaited second indoor ice arena.
Andrews, who was in elementary school when construction began on the current rink, said it's a big step forward for two programs that have won Class A state titles in each of the last five years.
“Within six years of putting that sheet together, we went to our first state tournament,” he said. “That sheet has been a game changer for our program, and the second sheet will have the exact same effect, especially with our youth program.”
Andrews said the youth program teams are “practicing all over the area” because they can't get the time needed to practice and play at Hermantown Hockey Arena.
“This is going to bring even more opportunity here to Hermantown,” he said.
Boucher echoed Andrews, noting that the lack of ice time has led some youth teams to not play a single home game.
Jamie Malcolm/Duluth News Tribune
Boucher also emphasized that a partnership between the city, school district and private funds covered the roughly $7 million shortfall and ensured the building would not impact property taxes.
The Arena Legacy Foundation is a community-based nonprofit organization formed by Hermantown residents to help finance the new facility, and has raised funds through donations and corporate sponsorship, including a $1 million naming rights deal with NorthStar Ford of Duluth.
Boucher said sponsorship has really started to help fill the gap, but there's still a bit of work to be done.
Legacy Fund board chair Shauna Jokinen said they still need to raise about $750,000 before the building's planned opening in late 2025.
“We're almost there,” she said. “We'll be there in a bit.”
Andrews noted that the new arena will benefit not only the hockey community, but the entire Hermantown community.
“Financially, it's going to allow us to host big tournaments and bring people into the building, the hotel and the restaurants,” he said. “It's really a great asset and a community hub. Right now, the building doesn't even have a lobby. Now we're going to have a big, beautiful lobby where people can come, relax and feel welcome. We're really excited about that.”
Jamie Malcolm has been the high school sports reporter for the Duluth News Tribune since October 2021. For the past six years, he has covered news and sports for the Lake County News-Chronicle and the Crockett Pine Journal in Two Harbors. He graduated from George Washington University in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in history and literature. He also holds a master's degree in secondary English education from George Mason University.
