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$110 million Great Park Ice celebrates grand opening in Irvine

by in News

  • Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon practices at Great Park Ice at the Great Park in Irvine, CA on Thursday, March 7, 2019. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Fifteen and sixteen-year-olds play in the Pacific District Championship of USA Hockey at Great Park Ice at the Great Park in Irvine, CA on Thursday, March 7, 2019. The $110 million facility has four rinks. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  • Susan Samueli drops the ceremonial first puck at Great Park Ice at the Great Park in Irvine, CA on Thursday, March 7, 2019. The $110 million facility was paid for by the Samueli Foundation and the Anaheim Ducks Foundation. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Seraphine Tan, 7, skates during a lesson at Great Park Ice at the Great Park in Irvine, CA on Thursday, March 7, 2019. This is one of four sheets of ice at the 280,000-square-foot facility. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Susan Samueli, and her husband Henry Samueli, show off the ceremonial first puck at Great Park Ice at the Great Park in Irvine, CA on Thursday, March 7, 2019. The $110 million facility was paid for by the Samueli Foundation and the Anaheim Ducks Foundation. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Fifteen and sixteen-year-olds play in the Pacific District Championship of USA Hockey at Great Park Ice at the Great Park in Irvine, CA on Thursday, March 7, 2019. The $110 million facility has four rinks. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Figure skaters practice at Great Park Ice at the Great Park in Irvine, CA on Thursday, March 7, 2019. The $110 million facility has four rinks. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Ducks co-owner Henry Samueli of the Samueli Foundation and the Anaheim Ducks Foundation paid for Great Park Ice at the Great Park in Irvine, CA on Thursday, March 7, 2019. The $110 million facility has four rinks. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Henry and Susan Samueli talk to the media at Great Park Ice at the Great Park in Irvine, CA on Thursday, March 7, 2019. The $110 million facility was paid for by the Samueli Foundation and the Anaheim Ducks Foundation. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Audrey Tanaka skates during a lesson at Great Park Ice at the Great Park in Irvine, CA on Thursday, March 7, 2019. This is one of four sheets of ice at the 280,000-square-foot facility. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Skaters head to the ice at Great Park Ice at the Great Park in Irvine, CA on Thursday, March 7, 2019. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • The entrance to Great Park Ice at the Great Park in Irvine, CA on Thursday, March 7, 2019. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • The facade of Great Park Ice at the Great Park in Irvine, CA on Thursday, March 7, 2019. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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Great Park Ice in Irvine has been open for business since late December, hosting a number of youth hockey and figure skating events on its four ice sheets. But it wasn’t until Thursday, March 7, that the $110 million, state-of-the-art skating facility held its grand opening.

Susan Samueli, co-owner of the Anaheim Ducks with husband Henry, dropped a ceremonial hockey puck to celebrate the opening of what U.S. Figure Skating executive Mitch Moyer called a “Taj Mahal” of skating facilities. U.S. Figure Skating is another tenant.

Construction is ongoing, including facilities for the Ducks, and won’t be completed until June, according to Art Trottier, vice president of The Rinks, the Ducks-owned group of ice facilities.

The Ducks’ first event at Great Park Ice is expected to be their annual camp for prospects, to be held in late June. The Ducks also will host a tournament for rookies from five other NHL teams in September.

Sessions of ice skating are also held for the public, check greatparkice.com for more information.