Sarah Hughes, Mark Messier Team Up For Bronx Skating Center Project

Ice greats Sarah Hughes and Mark Messier have signed on to a project to renovate the vacant Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx into an expansive ice sports facility, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has announced.

Bloomberg detailed the plans for the project on his website Tuesday.

According to Bloomberg, the vacant landmark armory, which occupies a full city block at 29 West Kingsbridge Rd., will be redeveloped into a 750,000-square-foot ice sports facility to be known as Kingsbridge National Ice Center. 

"Today is a day for New York City to celebrate," said Great Neck native Hughes, in a press release. 

Messier, a New York Rangers legend and NHL Hall of Famer, commended the project.

"As a hockey player, I believe the Kingsbridge National Ice Center will change the sport in the metropolitan area," said Messier, in a release. "As a New Yorker, I know it will also change this city, providing invaluable educational and athletic opportunity to thousands of young people, and transforming the Bronx into the new center of ice sports in the United States." 

KNIC will feature nine year-round indoor regulation size ice rinks, including a feature rink that can seat approximately 5,000 people and be used to host national and international ice hockey tournaments, figure and speed skating competitions and ice shows.

The project will also include 50,000 square feet of space designated for community uses.
 
It is expected that KNIC will draw more than 2 million visitors a year, vastly increasing the options of ice facilities in New York City, where there are currently only seven year-round ice rinks, none of which are located in the Bronx. The project represents a private investment of $275 million," according to Bloomberg.