A huge new ice arena is set to come to Greater Manchester, making it one of the biggest venues in the UK. The state-of-the-art ice rink, called TraffordCity Ice Arena, will be operated by Planet Ice and will also serve as a multi-use event space. The venue will be located next to the Chill Factore and iFLY in TraffordCity.
Developers have cleared the former Soccer Dome site in preparation for the construction of the three-acre ice rink. Peel Waters, the company behind the development, plans to release more details and images of the proposed venue closer to the planning submission to Trafford council.
In addition to the ice rink, the submission will include plans for various food and drink options, including grab-and-go options, a family dining restaurant, and a high-end sports bar. The aim is to create a diverse and inclusive experience for visitors.
The new ice arena is part of TraffordCity’s expanding portfolio of sport-based leisure and experience offerings. The area already boasts activities such as skiing, snowboarding, rock climbing, and skydiving. It is also home to Trafford Golf.
The announcement of the ice arena follows Peel Waters’ recent collaboration with Tartan Leisure to bring the first inland surf destination to the north of England, also located in TraffordCity.
ICITIES director Nick Payne expressed excitement about the project, saying, This marks our first major project and our vision to develop best-in-class sports and leisure stadiums and arenas in the UK. We hope to attract other allied sports and entertainment operators to this project and include facilities that educate and entertain children and the wider communities. Payne highlighted the need for first-rate facilities for event space operators across the UK, including virtual reality, esports, and screening and live entertainment.
The ice arena and event space is expected to take approximately 12-15 months to build once construction begins on-site. Peel Waters is committed to boosting the local and visitor economy, attracting investment, and creating job opportunities for the local community. The company has already created 17,500 jobs within TraffordCity to date, with plans to increase this number to 33,000 over the next 20 years.
Heath Rhodes, Chief Operating Officer of Planet Ice, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership with Peel Waters, commenting, Peel Waters wants to attract the best leisure operators to TraffordCity, and we are keen to be working in partnership with them and ICITIES to develop a Planet Ice branded venue at this location.
The new ice arena and event space in Greater Manchester is expected to be a significant addition to the already world-class retail and leisure destination of TraffordCity. With its state-of-the-art facilities and variety of offerings, it aims to provide an exciting and inclusive experience for visitors of all ages and interests.
As the planned ice arena continues to progress, further details will be revealed, and the community looks forward to witnessing the growth and transformation of TraffordCity into a premier leisure destination.
