Broadmoor World Arena
Encyclopedia
The Broadmoor World Arena was a pioneering skating
rink and hockey
arena located at the Broadmoor
Resort & Spa in Colorado Springs, Colorado
. Originally an outdoor riding academy, the building was enclosed and converted to an ice arena which opened in January 1938. It was the original home of the Colorado College
Tigers hockey team, as well as the Broadmoor Skating Club
, a major force in the figure skating
community. The building served as the first home of the NCAA Hockey Championships, which it hosted for the first ten years of its existence (1948-1957) and once more, in 1969. The arena served as host to the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships in 1962. It also hosted the World Figure Skating Championships
five times between 1957 and 1975.
With wooden seats, red aisle carpeting and wildlife paintings on the walls, the arena had an intimate atmosphere that reflected its lakeside, resort hotel setting. The arena was the primary arena setting in the 1970s movie Ice Castles
.
In 1993, the Broadmoor announced that it would be closing the venerable arena to make room for a $27 million expansion of the resort. It closed in March 1994. The last major event held at the arena was the 1994 World Junior Figure Skating Championships
.
There is a memorial on the grounds of the hotel to the members of the 1961 US Figure Skating team, all of whom perished in the crash of their flight
to the 1961 championships near Brussels, Belgium. Many of them had trained at the Broadmoor.
Ice skating
Ice skating is moving on ice by using ice skates. It can be done for a variety of reasons, including leisure, traveling, and various sports. Ice skating occurs both on specially prepared indoor and outdoor tracks, as well as on naturally occurring bodies of frozen water, such as lakes and...
rink and hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
arena located at the Broadmoor
Broadmoor Hotel
The Broadmoor is a 5-star/5-diamond luxury hotel and resort, located in southwestern Colorado Springs, Colorado. Built in the early 20th century as the "Grand Dame of the Rockies", it was one of the finest resort destinations along the Rocky Mountains during the age of railroads. It continues to be...
Resort & Spa in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
. Originally an outdoor riding academy, the building was enclosed and converted to an ice arena which opened in January 1938. It was the original home of the Colorado College
Colorado College
The Colorado College is a private liberal arts college in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States, in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. It was founded in 1874 by Thomas Nelson Haskell...
Tigers hockey team, as well as the Broadmoor Skating Club
Broadmoor Skating Club
The Broadmoor Skating Club is a figure skating club based in Colorado Springs, Colorado that has long been a major training center for the sport of figure skating. Founded in 1939, it was originally known as the Pikes Peak Skating Club, and was based in the Broadmoor World Arena on the grounds of...
, a major force in the figure skating
Figure skating
Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
community. The building served as the first home of the NCAA Hockey Championships, which it hosted for the first ten years of its existence (1948-1957) and once more, in 1969. The arena served as host to the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships in 1962. It also hosted the World Figure Skating Championships
World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion...
five times between 1957 and 1975.
With wooden seats, red aisle carpeting and wildlife paintings on the walls, the arena had an intimate atmosphere that reflected its lakeside, resort hotel setting. The arena was the primary arena setting in the 1970s movie Ice Castles
Ice Castles
Ice Castles is a 1978 American romantic drama, starring Lynn-Holly Johnson and Robby Benson.It is the story of Alexis, a young figure skater, and her rise and fall from super stardom. Tragedy strikes when, following a freak accident, Lexie loses her sight, leaving her to hide away in the privacy of...
.
In 1993, the Broadmoor announced that it would be closing the venerable arena to make room for a $27 million expansion of the resort. It closed in March 1994. The last major event held at the arena was the 1994 World Junior Figure Skating Championships
World Junior Figure Skating Championships
The World Junior Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which younger figure skaters compete for the title of World Junior Champion...
.
There is a memorial on the grounds of the hotel to the members of the 1961 US Figure Skating team, all of whom perished in the crash of their flight
Sabena Flight 548
Sabena Flight 548, registration OO-SJB, was a Boeing 707 aircraft that crashed en route to Brussels, Belgium, from New York City on February 15, 1961, killing the entire United States Figure Skating team on its way to the 1961 World Championships in Prague, Czechoslovakia.The flight, which...
to the 1961 championships near Brussels, Belgium. Many of them had trained at the Broadmoor.