The esteemed Hockey Hall of Famer, Wayne Gretzky, alongside his son Ty, recently made public their plans to roll out the highly-awaited Gretzky Hockey School at an under-construction $40 million dollar skating arena located in Palm Beach Gardens. ‘It is a privilege for my son and I to bring our hockey school to the great residents of Palm Beach County,’ Gretzky was quoted saying. ‘We believe firmly in the unifying power of hockey and are excited about invoking that unity in many more folks, fostering a fresh generation of ardent hockey followers.’
The impressive facility project is being led by Palm Beach North Athletic Foundation, Inc., also known as PBNAF. Highlights of this multi-million dollar rink will include not one, but two rinks comparable to NHL size, designed for events such as public skating, youth hockey, figure skating, adult leagues, curling, and sled hockey. But that’s not all, the arena will boast a full-suite restaurant and a sports bar, augmenting the visitor experience to a whole new level.
In addition to watching and playing, visitors will also have a chance to shop at an in-house retail store. The facility will also include spaces dedicated to training, an academy, as well as medical services sponsored by the reputed Hospital for Special Surgery. ‘We are delighted to join forces with the City of Palm Beach Gardens and we extend our heartfelt gratitude to our numerous constituents in the community who have stood by us, making this fruitful partnership feasible,’ stated PBNAF President, Michael Winters.
Members of this tight knit community, we’re excited about fostering a long-standing, mutually beneficial relationship with the city’s inhabitants.’ The city of Palm Beach Gardens has demonstrated its support for the project. In early April, it solidified its endorsement by voting in favor of a 40-year lease agreement to develop and operate the facility located at Plant Drive Park. Current expectations suggest that the facility will reach completion by the summer of 2026.
Looking back, Wayne Gretzky embarked on his prominent NHL career spanning two decades, from 1979 until 1999. Following his successful stint in the league, Gretzky along with his son, launched the Gretzky Hockey School in 2014. Over 20 dynamic years on ice, he represented teams such as the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, and New York Rangers before hanging up his skates at the age of 38.
Undoubtedly in the cohort of the finest players of his generation, Gretzky’s remarkable career was studded with 894 goals, 1963 assists, and 2857 points, which all happen to be league records. His prowess wasn’t limited to across-season achievements; he also made significant impacts within single-season records. With the Oilers, he scored an unmatched 92 goals during the 1981-82 season and supplied a record-shattering 163 assists in the 1985-86 season.
Notably, Gretzky owns an unparalleled eight of the top 10 spots for highest single-season point totals in NHL history, including a league-best 215 points achieved again in the 1985-86 season. His exceptional skill is further evidenced by the fact that he still holds 61 NHL records, a testament to his dominant career before retiring in 1999.
The dazzling facility project also received endorsement from Larry Robbins, the CEO of Glenview Capital Management. Besides holding a notable position as a CEO, Robbins also has sport ties; he once played for and captained the University of Pennsylvania, and has contributed actively as a youth coach for the North Jersey Avalanche for 18 years and an eight-year owner and CEO stint with the Chicago Steel.
In line with the shared vision, both Robbins and Gretzky offered their backing to ‘extend and amplify ice sports right across South Florida, serving a larger segment of the community and raising the bar in regional youth hockey competitiveness.’ Robbins shared, ‘My wife Sarahmay and I are ecstatic about moving our family to Palm Beach Gardens, a community characterized by industriousness and an uplifting spirit, whose shortcoming of ice skating facilities to cater to the growing passion for hockey and figure skating is about to be addressed.’
Moreover, the ambitious facility secured backing from Tucker Frederickson, a former NFL athlete and a PBNAF board member. In his heyday, Frederickson represented the New York Giants from 1965 to 1971 and was a close contender for the Heisman Trophy while studying and playing at Auburn University.
Robbins expressed his thrill about this partnership, saying, ‘Alongside Mike, Tucker, Wayne, and the rest of our supportive PBNAF team and family, we’re eager to bring to life this soon-to-be community centerpiece, while simultaneously framing a conducive platform for our youth to engage, enjoy, and absorb valuable lessons about resilience, teamwork, passion, and purpose.’
This isn’t the only recent move in South Florida bringing the icy sport to the forefront. Earlier this year, Fort Lauderdale heralded the inauguration of the Florida Panthers new Baptist IcePlex practice facility located at FTL War Memorial in Holiday Park. The complex, spanning across 144,000 sq. ft., houses two NHL-size ice rinks, five curling lanes, and features a gigantic 26’X15? LED display and color kinetic lighting.
Coupled with a vast Florida Panthers retail shop, a food and drink area, multipurpose party rooms, and 11 locker rooms, here’s a facility that has it all. Presently, the Panthers are in the midst of an exciting NHL playoffs opening round, locked in a clash with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Their strong start is exemplified by their 3-2 victory against the Lightning in the initial match of the best-of-seven series.