The City of Santa Clarita provided a first look at the renovated Valencia Ice Station Tuesday, renamed “The Cube — Ice and Entertainment Center,” showcasing upgrades to the facility and revealing an opening date in April.
Some of the first things residents might notice when visiting the revamped facility in Valencia are new landscaping and new blue and white paint inside and outside to match the City’s official colors.
The Ice Station was bought by the City of Santa Clarita for $14.2 million in August. On March 5, the city announced the location’s name had been changed to “The Cube” over social media.
See Related: City Unveils New Name For Valencia Ice Station
The 93,000 square foot space can hold up to 2,400 people, and is set to host sports like hockey and ice skating in addition to events like conventions, conferences, sports competitions and concerts.
Renovations of the facilities, which include the replacement of The Cube’s old reader board and installation of new ice on the rinks, started in December 2020, with a budget of $720,000, according to Frank Oviedo, Assistant City Manager for the City of Santa Clarita.
One of the main renovations currently being executed by the city is the replacement of the reader board located near The Cube’s front entrance. The board is set to be replaced with a larger LED screen that will also cover the windows above the old board.
“You will be able to see what’s going on on the ice as well as just anything we’re displaying from a marketing standpoint or a sponsorship, so we have a lot of use for it,” Oviedo said. “It’ll be pretty spectacular.”
There is also set to be a large cube installed in front of the building representing the new name change.
“It kind of ties into the cube theme as well as just something for families and visitors to be able to appreciate and have memories of,” Oviedo added.
According to Oviedo, the facilities, which were over 20 years old, needed some maintenance before they could be reopened to the public.
The day-to-day operations of The Cube are set to be handled by the American Sports Entertainment Company and the Los Angeles Kings (ASEC/Kings), who are set to be involved in “everything from opening the front doors to issuing tickets and ice skates,” officials said.
“They’ll continue to do their operations and their training at their El Segundo facility, but we’ve already had conversations with ASEC and the Kings about other opportunities, about perhaps bringing some of the Kings down here, having signing days for your favorite player that plays for the Kings,” said Oviedo. “We’ve even talked conceptually about having them come out and do scrimmages out here.”
According to Oviedo, The Cube is currently set to open with a ribbon-cutting scheduled for April 12.
Mark your calendars – The Cube is scheduled to open to the public next month!
A ribbon cutting will be held April 12 with a timeline for The Cube being fully open to the public to be announced based on public health orders.
pic.twitter.com/u4iFS1PjPw
— The Cube Santa Clarita (@TheCube_SC) March 16, 2021
“That will be the marking point of when we’ll really start to open up and we’ll make that determination as the weeks get closer to that, how many people will be able to accommodate in the facility,” Oviedo said.
City officials said they have received positive feedback from members of the community who are excited about The Cube opening up to the public.
“Every day towards the end of the day, we have folks that stop by,” said City of Santa Clarita General Service Manager Cruz Caldera. “They’ll show up at the end of the day and they’ll take pictures and they’ll post something on social media… just because they’re so excited about it. So just being a part of that is just rewarding in itself.”
Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or send an email to newstip@hometownstation.com. Don’t miss a thing. Get breaking KHTS Santa Clarita News Alerts delivered right to your inbox. Report a typo or error, email Corrections@hometownstation.com
KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
No comments:
Post a Comment