The nonprofit behind Morrison Arena in Orono is gearing up for a big-time expansion, rolling out a private fundraising drive to bankroll a roughly $15 million project that would add a second ice sheet. Leaders say they have already snapped up adjoining land to make room for the build, and they are now courting major donors and naming-rights partners to pay for construction. The plan also calls for larger locker rooms, more dryland training space and extra capacity for youth and high school hockey across the West Metro.
What’s in the plan
As reported by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, the proposal centers on a second rink plus related facility upgrades, with a price tag of about $15 million. The outlet notes that the arena’s nonprofit operators have already acquired a neighboring parcel to fit the expansion and are actively pursuing naming-rights deals alongside private gifts. Organizers told the publication they expect the extra sheet of ice to open the door to more camps, tournaments and off-season programming.
Who runs the rink
According to the arena’s own Morrison Arena overview, the facility, formerly known as Orono Ice Arena, is owned and operated by Orono Ice Arena, Inc., a volunteer-led 501(c)(3) that leases its land from the Orono school district. The rink opened in 1997 and received a major overhaul in 2017. Because of the nonprofit ownership model, it leans heavily on user fees and private donations to balance the books, a setup that helps explain why leaders are pitching philanthropy instead of asking voters to back a new public bond or levy.
Why private money
Orono Ice Arena, Inc. describes itself as one of the relatively few community rinks organized as a private nonprofit, with the Orono Youth Hockey Association and the local high school programs serving as its biggest revenue engines. As laid out on the Orono Youth Hockey site, growing rental income and off-season offerings is a key pillar of the arena’s long-range financial strategy. Backers argue that a second sheet would ease chronic ice-time logjams and make the building a more attractive hub for weekend events that pull in visiting teams and their families.
Funding and next steps
Per the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, the arena’s board is actively recruiting naming-rights sponsors and high-dollar private donors to reach the roughly $15 million target, with the land purchase already checked off the list. On the facility’s own support pages, would-be backers can find pledge forms and sponsorship packets, and project chair Pete Eckerline is listed as the point person for major-gift conversations. Campaign details and contact information for donors are also outlined on the arena’s fundraising profile on GiveMN.
Why it matters locally
Morrison Arena serves as home ice for Orono youth hockey along with the boys and girls high school teams, and organizers say a second sheet would loosen up practice schedules while carving out more time for community skating and other programs. Materials from Orono Youth Hockey emphasize that the rink runs on program fees and donor support, so the current capital campaign is framed as both a facilities upgrade and a long-term investment in the local hockey pipeline. If fundraising hits the mark, supporters expect the project to expand tournament-hosting opportunities, add more weekend events to the calendar and, in turn, send a bit more traffic toward nearby businesses.
