Iron Trail Motors Event Center
MECC
Iron Trail Motors Event Center
Location919 6th St S Virginia, Minnesota 55792
Public transitArrowhead Public Transportation
OwnerThe City of Virginia
OperatorThe City of Virginia
Capacity5,000+
SurfaceIce
Construction
Opened2021
Construction cost$38 Million
Tenants
Rock Ridge Wolverines (2021–present)

Iron Trail Motors Event Center is an ice arena and Event Center located in the city of Virginia, Minnesota. It was completed in September 2021.[1] The two-story building has a 120,000 square-foot total area and includes two ice rinks, fitness facilities and a 6,400-square-foot ballroom for weddings. It can also be used as a venue center for concerts.[1] The arena offers skating lessons, open skating and open hockey.[2] The arena is the home rink for the Rock Ridge Wolverines Hockey.[3] The Rock Ridge Hockey Association coordinates the youth hockey program.

History

The Miners Memorial Building was originally built in 1958 and that arena was used for Virginia Blue Devils hockey until the 2020-2021 season and was demolished in 2021 after the last high school game in the Miners Virginia vs. their biggest rivals of the time Eveleth.[4][5] The two teams were rivals until the 2021 season when the two teams as the Rock Ridge Wolverines due to the new Rock Ridge High school and elementary schools being opened in 2022 (Elem.) and 2023 (HS).[6][7] The new Iron Trail Motors Event Center was originally going to be named Miners Event Convention Center (MECC) but Iron Trail Motors, a car dealership in Virginia off U.S. 53 bought stakes in the arena in summer 2021 and changed the name for 20 years at a cost of 1.1 million dollars.[8][9]

References

  1. 1 2 "The Iron Trail Motors Event Center in Virginia, Minnesota, completed". Construction Review Online. 2021-09-20. Retrieved 2022-01-23.
  2. ↑ "Facilities". Retrieved 2021-09-03.
  3. ↑ "Rock Ridge Wolverines - Hockey, Boys - Teams - MSHSL". www.mshsl.org. Retrieved 2022-01-23.
  4. ↑ "Virginia/MIB Boys Hockey to Face Rivals Eveleth-Gilbert in Final Game at Miners Memorial Building". Fox21Online. 2021-03-20. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
  5. ↑ Ryan, Leah. "New Miners building 'is a major, not a minor project'". Mesabi Daily. Retrieved 2022-01-23.
  6. ↑ "Eveleth's Hippodrome 'smells like hockey history'". Duluth News Tribune. 2022-01-08. Retrieved 2022-01-23.
  7. ↑ "Schools". Rock Ridge Public Schools. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
  8. ↑ "Iron Trail Motors secures naming rights for event center". Business North. Retrieved 2022-01-23.
  9. ↑ "New event center to open in September". Hometown Focus. 2021-07-16. Retrieved 2021-09-03.

47°31′01″N 92°32′51″W / 47.51696°N 92.54740°W / 47.51696; -92.54740

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