CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — A nearly 90,000-square-foot ice hockey facility could soon be opening in Chesterfield County, as the owners of the Powhatan Ice Den are looking to expand the facility in hopes of attracting a professional hockey team.
The facility is located on Jenite Place, near Route 288 and Powhite Parkway. Lake Surf Park Under construction.
The first building will be 50,000 square feet and will include an NHL-sized rink, four locker rooms, junior-level suites with coaches' rooms, concessions and a pro shop.
Ryan Winfrey will be the general manager of the new ice hockey facility. Winfrey's father-in-law, former pro team owner Fred Festa, is personally footing the bill for the multi-million dollar project. The new rink, which has yet to be named, will not be large enough to host a pro team, but it will be used as a practice facility.
Plans for the facility have been submitted to Chesterfield County for approvals and permits. Winfrey said site work is expected to begin by the end of the year, with the hope of starting construction early next year and opening in May 2026.
“With the new rink, we will be able to enjoy a variety of sports, including hockey and figure skating.[s] “We're also working on things that haven't been done or haven't been done in Richmond yet,” Winfrey said, “so there's a lot of potential that we hope to tap into and continue to grow.”
Richmond has not had a professional hockey team for nearly 20 years since the Richmond Renegades played at the Richmond Coliseum until 2003 and the Richmond RiverDogs played at the Coliseum until 2006.
“We're looking at youth and adult tournaments and a variety of programs to bring people here and make Richmond the hockey and ice sports hub that we hope it will be,” Winfrey said.
