Bill Gray's Regional Iceplex

Bill Gray's Regional Iceplex is a 180,000-square-foot (17,000 m2) non-profit indoor athletics facility in the Rochester, New York suburb of Brighton. Located on the campus of Monroe Community College, the arena was built in 1998. It is home to four regulation-size ice rinks for semi-professional, high school, and youth hockey teams' use. The Iceplex is home to youth hockey teams from Rochester Youth Hockey, Rochester Edge Girls Hockey, Rochester Coalition, Rochester Grizzlies Hockey, Perinton Youth Hockey, Spencerport High School Hockey, Roc City Roller Derby,[1] Girls Selects Academy at Bishop Kearney, St. John Fisher Club Hockey, Nazareth Golden Flyers Men's and Women's Division III NCAA Hockey, Rochester Ice Cats Special Hockey, and other local teams. The arena also serves as the Rochester Americans official practice facility, and the USA Paralympic Sled Hockey Team chose it as their official training site in 2010.

Bill Gray's Regional Iceplex
Former namesESL Sports Centre (1998–2009)
Sports Centre at MCC (2009–2013)
LocationBrighton, New York
Coordinates43.0980°N 77.6028°W / 43.0980; -77.6028
OwnerEnd2End Sports
Capacity3,000 in Lattimore Arena
Acreage180,000-square-foot (17,000 m2)
SurfaceIce
Construction
Built1998
Construction costUS$13 million
General contractorChrista Development Corporation
Tenants
Nazareth Golden Flyers men's ice hockey
Rochester Raiders (GLIFL/AIF) (2006, 2014)
Roc City Roller Derby (WFTDA) (2009–present)
Rochester Jr. Americans (USPHL) (2010–2016)
Rochester Americans (practice facility)
Rochester Kings (AAL) (2017–2018)
Rochester Ice Cats
Website
www.billgraysiceplex.com

In 2008, 87 events were held at the facility, drawing nearly 33,000 players and spectators.[2] Prior to the 2018 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in nearby Buffalo, Bill Gray's Iceplex hosted some national teams and exhibition games leading up to that tournament.[3]

The facility was known as the ESL Sports Centre through 2009, when ESL Federal Credit Union dropped its sponsorship.[4] From that point until April 2013, when Bill Gray's picked up sponsorship (with a 30-year agreement), the facility was known as the Sports Centre at MCC. The facility underwent a 3,000-square-foot expansion in 2017 that cost $2.2 million and included a new fitness center as well as a physical therapy and sports rehab area.[5]

Ice resurfacer fire

On October 14, 2020, an Olympia ice resurfacer caught fire as it was resurfacing the ice after a youth hockey practice.[6] Video of the fire went viral over social media platforms. The driver of the ice resurfacer was not hurt and no other injuries were sustained. Bill Gray's Regional Iceplex released a statement on their social media accounts saying that the cause of the fire was a broken hose, which caused hydraulic fluid to leak onto a hot exhaust pipe, igniting the fluid and causing the flames.[7]

References
  1. "ROC City Roller Derby Moves Home to the Sports Centre at Monroe Community College" (Press release). The Sports Centre at MCC. 2013-01-15. Archived from the original on 2013-02-17. Retrieved 2013-02-13.
  2. Andreatta, David (2009-11-29). "ESL Centre is on thin ice". Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester, New York: Gannett Company. Archived from the original on 2009-12-04. Retrieved 2009-12-04.
  3. Roth, Leo (December 14, 2017). "Bill Gray's Iceplex to host World Junior teams and exhibition games". Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  4. Andreatta, David (2011-01-07). "MCC files suit to collect back rent from Sports Centre group". Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester, New York: Gannett Company. Retrieved 2011-01-08.
  5. Taddeo, Sarah (August 3, 2017). "What to know about Bill Gray's Regional Iceplex $2.2 million expansion". Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  6. Fernandez, Gabriel. "Zamboni catches fire following a local New York youth hockey practice". CBS News. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  7. Facebook. Bill Gray's Regional Iceplex https://www.facebook.com/billgraysregionaliceplex/photos/a.137950109557003/3634166109935368. Retrieved 16 October 2020. Missing or empty |title= (help)
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