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Open ice: Dr Pepper StarCenter almost finished
By Katie Knickerbocker, McKinney Courier-Gazette
Free hockey tickets to all who attend grand opening ceremony
The countdown is officially on for the opening of the Dr Pepper StarCenter McKinney at Craig Ranch. After nearly six months of construction, the city announced last week that the facility is just about ready to open. Grand opening ceremonies are scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 19, at noon.
"On behalf of Mayor Loughmiller and the City Council, we are thrilled to open the Dr. Pepper StarCenter McKinney at Craig Ranch,” City Manager Frank Ragan said in a city statement. “Our residents have been asking for this new public recreation facility, and we are extremely pleased to come through on this promise to bring it to them."
Also on opening day, the McKinney Mites will play an exhibition game against the Texas Aces Mites from 12:30-1:30 p.m. followed by another exhibition game between McKinney High School Hockey vs. Frisco High School Hockey from 1:45-2:45 p.m. At 2:15 p.m. the rinks will host skating exhibitions.
Free beverages, face painters, balloon animal artists, and inflatable games will also be available opening day courtesy of Dr Pepper and the Dallas Stars Street Squad. Fans can register to win prizes, including complimentary skate school passes, ice skating passes and a complimentary birthday party at the ice rink.
Besides the two sheets of ice that will accommodate regulation hockey play and competition figure skating, the facility has a snack bar, pro shop, and four meeting rooms. Built on 7.3 acres of land, the center is a joint project between the Dallas Stars, the City of McKinney, the McKinney Community Development Corporation and Craig Ranch and is sponsored by Dr Pepper. At the groundbreaking ceremony in March 2009, Ragan said the unusual partnership between all organizations is one you don’t see very often.
It will be the home of the McKinney Ice Hockey Club and the Texas Aces and will also have beginner leagues for youth and adult hockey players and advanced adult hockey leagues.
Between the hockey, skating, birthday parties, corporate team building events, private ice rentals, camps, clinics, tournaments and skating competitions, the center expects to bring in 400,000 to 500,000 visitors annually.
McKinney residents can look forward to eligibility for annual skating and hockey scholarships and preferred registration for major programs at the facility including hockey and skating leagues, clinics, and camps. The new Dr Pepper StarCenter is located near the southeast corner of Alma and Collin McKinney Pkwy.
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