PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – Hockey Hall of Fame member Wayne Gretzky and his son Ty recently announced the opening of the Gretzky School of Hockey as part of a new $40 million skating rink being built in Palm Beach Gardens. It was announced that
“I am honored to work with my son to expand the reach of our hockey school to more residents of Palm Beach County,” Gretzky said. “Hockey has the power to unite communities, and we are excited to bring that unity to even more people and help develop a new era of hockey enthusiasts.”
Led by the Palm Beach North Athletic Foundation (PBNAF), the facility will feature two NHL-sized rinks for youth hockey, figure skating, public skating, adult leagues, curling and sled hockey.
It will also include a full-service restaurant and sports bar, retail, training space, academy space, and medical space sponsored by the Hospital for Special Surgery.
“We are thrilled to partner with the City of Palm Beach Gardens and would like to thank the many stakeholders in the community who support us and make this partnership possible,” said PBNAF President Michael Winters. Ta. “As members of this special community, we look forward to a long and rewarding relationship with the city and its residents.”
In early April, the City of Palm Beach Gardens voted in favor of a 40-year lease to develop and operate facilities at Plant Drive Park. The building is expected to be completed by summer 2026.
Following an NHL career that spanned from 1979 to 1999, Gretzky helped launch the Gretzky Hockey School with his son in 2014. Gretzky played for 20 years with the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, New York Rangers, and then retired. He is 38 years old.
Regarded as one of the greatest hockey players of all time, Gretzky set league records with 894 goals, 1,963 assists, and 2,857 points during his playing career. He also set a single-season record with the Oilers with 92 goals in 1981-82 and 163 assists with the Oilers in 1985-86.
Overall, Gretzky holds eight of the top 10 single-season scoring totals in NHL history, including a league-high 215 points in the 1985-86 season. Remarkably, he still holds 61 NHL records after retiring in 1999.
Gretzky was also inducted into the Hall of Fame that same year.
Along with Gretzky, the facility was backed by Glenview Capital Management CEO Larry Robbins. Robbins is also a former player and captain at the University of Pennsylvania, where he served as a youth coach with the North Jersey Avalanche for 18 years and as owner and CEO of the Chicago Steel for eight years.
According to the announcement, Robbins and Gretzky will “expand and enhance ice sports throughout South Florida to serve more people in the community and increase the competitiveness of regional youth hockey.” He said he provided support.
“My wife, Sara Mae, and I are thrilled to be moving our family to Palm Beach Gardens. Palm Beach Gardens is an active, hard-working, and optimistic community whose only drawback is its growing and passionate community. There is currently a lack of ice skating facilities, which is a base for hockey players and figure skaters,” Robbins said.
Additionally, the facility received support from former NFL player and PBNAF board member, Tucker Tucker Frederickson. Fredrickson played for the New York Giants from 1965 to 1971 and was a Heisman Trophy runner-up while attending Auburn University.
“We are working with Mike, Tucker, Wayne, and the entire PBNAF team and family to bring this new centerpiece of our community to life while young people demonstrate tenacity, teamwork, passion and purpose,” Robbins said. he added.
Palm Beach Gardens in South Florida is the newest city to introduce the sport. In March, the City of Fort Lauderdale celebrated the opening of the Florida Panthers' new Baptist Iceplex practice facility at Holiday Park's FTL War Memorial.
The Panthers' 144,000 square foot practice facility features two NHL regulation-sized ice rinks, five curling lanes, a 26-foot by 15-foot LED display, and color kinetic lighting. The complex also includes 7,500 Florida Panthers retail stores, concessions, a multipurpose party room, and 11 locker rooms.
The Panthers are currently facing the Tampa Bay Lightning in the opening game of the NHL playoffs. The Panthers won Game 1 of the best-of-seven series Sunday, 3-2.
