City’s icehouse skates into future with new name and makeover

MELBOURNE’S ice-skating mecca at Docklands should become a sporting icon like the MCG as part of a multi-million dollar revamp, says its new operators.

National level competitor Ellen Walsh of Flemington on the newly named O'Brien Group Arena Ice skating rink at Docklands Melbourne, on Sunday 6th December, 2015. Picture: Mark Dadswell

MELBOURNE’S ice-skating mecca is being revamped with a new name and a multimillion-dollar makeover.

The North Melbourne hospitality and leisure company, O’Brien Group Australia, has taken on the Docklands venue, formerly known as Medibank Icehouse.

Company director Michael Xavier O’Brien said the O’Brien Group Arena was an “unpolished diamond” he hoped would become a landmark venue in a sports-mad city.

Today, the company will launch a marketing push to promote the venue for ice-hockey fans and recreational skaters.

The first stage of a three-phase redevelopment has been completed, with all renovations to be finished for the start of the Australian Ice Hockey League in April.

Details will be announced today of other renovations, ­including increased seating ­capacity, to make it Australia’s premier venue for ice hockey, ice skating, speed skating and curling, while still remaining home to the nation’s winter Olympic sports program.

“By upgrading what is already a world-class facility, we’ll give visitors an even better experience, and increase Melbourne’s leadership in the exciting and growing field of ice sports,’’ Mr O’Brien said.

Most of the structural changes will improve visibility of the two rinks for spectators. Seating capacity will increase by about 20 per cent to 6500.

Stage 2 of the makeover will open up the second-floor bar to a hospitality suite that can cater for about 500 people with views of the rink through floor-to-ceiling glass.

Olympic Winter Institute chairman Geoff Henke said the venue facelift was a huge boost for ice sports in Australia. “The O’Brien Group Arena has the potential to become as iconic a Melbourne sporting venue as the MCG,” Mr Henke said.

Every year, more than 800,000 people visit the venue, built in 2010.

Three illuminated signs will be officially switched on tonight. O’Brien Group received council approval for the sky signs to sit above the building.

The company persuaded council to vote for the signs ­because it believed many visitors could not find their way to its Pearl River Rd location.

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North Melbourne hospitality and leisure company O’Brien Group has taken on the Docklands venue formerly known as the Medibank Icehouse.

Company executive director Michael Xavier O’Brien said the O’Brien Group Arena was an “unpolished diamond” that he hoped would become a landmark venue in a sports-mad city.

The company today (MON) launches a marketing push to promote the venue for ice hockey fans and recreational skaters.

Ellen Walsh of Flemington on the ice. Picture: Mark Dadswell

The first stage of a three-phase redevelopment has been completed with all renovations to be done for the start of the Australian Ice Hockey League in April.

Details were announced today of other renovations including increased seating capacity to make it Australia’s premier venue for ice hockey, ice skating, speed skating, curling and still home to the nation’s winter Olympic sports program.

“By upgrading what is already a world-class facility, we’ll give visitors an even better

experience, and increase Melbourne’s leadership in the exciting and growing field of ice

sports,’’ Mr O’Brien said.

Most of the structural changes will improve visibility of the two rinks for spectators. Seating capacity will increase by about 20 per cent to 6500.

Stage 2 of the makeover will be opening up the second-floor bar to a hospitality suite that can cater for about 500 people who can watch the rink action through ceiling-to-floor windows.

Olympic Winter Institute chairman Geoff Henke said the venue facelift was a huge boost for ice sports in Australia.

“The O’Brien Group Arena has the potential to become as iconic a Melbourne sporting

venue as the MCG,” Mr Henke said.

More than 800,000 people visit the venue, built in 2010, every year.

Three controversial illuminated signs will be officially switched on tonight. O’Brien Group received council approval for the sky signs to sit above the building, despite the council’s preference for signs to be integrated into the facade design.

The company persuaded council to vote for the signs because they believed many visitors could not find their way to its Pearl River Rd location.

Also today a venue promotional video will go live, and next week a first-ever membership program will be launched.

The venue is the only one in Australasia to have two full-sized rinks. They feature new environmentally friendly chiller technology.

O’Brien Group operates several major sporting venues around Australia, including AAMI Park, Simonds Stadium in Geelong as well as the Gabba and Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. But this is the first time the company has put its own name to a venue.

The company has undertaken an $8 million sponsorship of the renamed arena, as part of its $250 million venue management lease.

O’Brien Group, based in North Melbourne, bought the Imperial Hotel at the top of Bourke St for $11.45 million in May.