Up until the breakout of COVID-19, followed with Governor Evers’ Safer At Home order, Wessman Arena was prepared to have a busy summer.
Wessman, the home of the Yellowjackets men’s and women’s hockey teams since 1970, has a capacity of nearly 1,500. A $1.1 million expansion in 2006 highlighted the progressive increase of the arena’s operations beyond ice hockey in the form of hosting other local, large events.
The arena was set to hold many dry floor events as well as ice rentals that were scheduled late May through July. According to Wessman’s Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance, Jeffrey Kahler, the events that were cancelled included a car show, dance event, and the Douglas County Fish and Game Show.
Kahler explains that, “due to Governor Evers’ Safer At Home Order, all events on campus have been cancelled through July 31. We will re-evaluate if it is safe to open the facility in early-to-mid-July. If we are able to open the facility this summer, ice rentals will start on August 1.”
After undergoing a recent dehumidification project, the facility now has the capability of supporting ice during the summer months. Prior to the closure of the arena, Kahler stated, “We had a number of rentals booked, including a tournament, but given the situation those had to be cancelled.”
As UWS and Wessman Arena continue to monitor the situation around COVID-19, they will continue to abide by the Governors orders. Unfortunately, as this time of uncertainty continues, Wessman Arena will not be able to proceed with summer camps, ice time or other events until it is safe to do so.
Check out Wessman Arena’s Facebook or Twitter pages to stay updated on the ongoing status of the arena or if you were interested in booking future ice time.
