Hockey in Hilton? Ever happened?

**Bigman38** · 02-03-2012, 10:44 PM

I know as recent as 3 years ago(when I worked there)they still had the ice rink equipment. My boss said it hadn't been used in years though.

**alarson** · 02-03-2012, 10:45 PM

Originally Posted by 1100011CS

I know it's not the same but I worked there when there was an ice show. Early 90s I think.

Yeah, i remember the ads for those shows, never came up to ames for one.

**IcSyU** · 02-03-2012, 10:48 PM

The cheap part is getting the refrigeration unit. Hilton costs another thousand-plus an hour to actually use.

**ricochet** · 02-03-2012, 10:48 PM

Originally Posted by Bigman38

I know as recent as 3 years ago(when I worked there)they still had the ice rink equipment. My boss said it hadn't been used in years though.

Pretty sure the last flood took all that out and they decided not to replace it.

**IsUaClone2** · 02-03-2012, 10:49 PM

I was at one of the first hockey games ever played in Hilton. There also was a concert that weekend which limited the ice making time. Accordingly, there were thin spots on the ice which when skated over would create sparks. The refs would stop the game, get a watering can, and sprinkle water on the spot then resume play..

Another time, they used to have cheerleaders play broomball out on the ice during an intermission. To pick up attendance they had Chris Taylor, ISU heavyweight thought to be around 450 pounds (didn't have a scale large enough to wiegh him), play broomball with them. Chris was a great sport and didn't even fall down on the ice once. Watching the girls buzz around him like gnats was really funny. He showed up in a short sleeve shirt as he didn't wear a coat even in the dead of winter.

**jdoggivjc** · 02-03-2012, 10:49 PM

ISU hosted the club hockey national championship while I was going there, sometime after 2000 but before 2003, and the games were played at Hilton. It was a big deal because of the "reminiscing" how all games used to be played at Hilton until they moved to Ames/ISU Ice Arena.

**jdoggivjc** · 02-03-2012, 10:51 PM

Originally Posted by IcSyU

Must not have been full length ice?

http://www.fpm.iastate.edu/maps/buil...Plat_First.pdf

Doesn't look even close to fitting.

IIRC pictures showed all the seats of the lower parquet folded in. I would assume that would create plenty of room.

**clone2011** · 02-03-2012, 10:52 PM

Originally Posted by IcSyU

Must not have been full length ice?

http://www.fpm.iastate.edu/maps/buil...Plat_First.pdf

Doesn't look even close to fitting.

I haven't been to an ISU hockey game in a long time, but IIRC their home ice rink is not NHL/Olympic size. Most amateur leagues (youth through USHL), not sure about NCAA and semi-pro, have a smaller rink. And remember they wouldn't have the student section seats pulled out, saving quite a bit of space.

But it sounds like the boards/glass, refrigeration unit, and other hockey essentials were lost in the flood...too bad, would've been awesome to see a game in Hilton!

**CyForPresident** · 02-03-2012, 10:52 PM

The flood destroyed all the equipment to do it. No longer possible.

**isulive2train** · 02-03-2012, 10:52 PM

Hockey in Hilton was awesome.... I remember it in the 90's.

**burn587** · 02-03-2012, 10:56 PM

My old man worked at the Iowa State Center during the 70's and used to set up for concerts and set up the basketball floor. He said they used to put the basketball floor on over the ice (not sure how many layers of stuff in between) but he said coaches would complain about slick spots on the floor due to the condensation so I could definitely see Orr saying something about it.

**EggMcClone** · 02-03-2012, 10:57 PM

I saw them play Illinois in Hilton around the same time Cylax was talking about (early 2000s). The seats weren't fully extended so there was more room than with a bball court. It was cool to see it in Hilton but there wasn't a huge crowd or anything if I remember right.

**cdekovic** · 02-03-2012, 10:58 PM

Originally Posted by 83Clone

Part of the deal Johnny made to take the job was no more hockey in Hilton. At least that's the urban legend

The reason Johnny didn't want the ice in Hilton is because that would lay the BBall floor right over it and there would be condensation on the court. The ISU Hockey Club played many of their first game in Hilton until the converted an old warehouse into the first Ames/ISU ice arena.

**BuzzBuzzBuzz** · 02-03-2012, 11:00 PM

Wow, it's been a long time. I remember very well going to hockey games at Hilton as a kid... It was so freaking cool. The arena lights were low and the ice was lit up. It was really a fun time.

**serverguy** · 02-03-2012, 11:03 PM

Can't believe somebody had not already posted this. :-) There are a couple shots of Hilton in there. Putting ice in was always a good time.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzW_GU-uttQ&feature=related]Iowa State Hockey - YouTube[/ame]