This past February, the City of Mason City held a groundbreaking ceremony / construction kickoff for a new multi-purpose arena as part of a development project designed to enhance Mason City’s downtown area.
Awarded three construction phases, Dean Snyder Construction has been busy converting the former JCPenney’s in the Southbridge Mall into a space that follows the city’s Prairie Style architectural design. The new facility will be 75,000 square-feet with an official NHL-sized ice rink at 200’ x 85’.
In order to work through the cold temperature of winter, rainy spring, and keep the schedule on-track, crews implemented with the designers a splice detail for the high-volume area columns so that steel could be set under the existing roof.
The new venue will have a capacity of 3,400 (with 2,044 fixed seats) and be used for ice sports by the Mason City Youth Hockey, North Iowa Figure Skating, North Iowa Bulls as well as for other athletic competitions and concerts. The project is scheduled to be open this December.