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MASC Announces 2016 Mighty Ducks Ice Arena Grant Program

By Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission, 06/28/16, 7:15AM CDT

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The program has been renamed the James Metzen Mighty Ducks Ice Arena Grant Program in honor of retiring State Senator James Metzen.

Blaine, Minn. (June 28, 2016) -- The State of Minnesota, acting through its agency, the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission (MASC), is seeking proposals from interested communities to improve and update ice arenas.

This year, the grant program was renamed the James Metzen Mighty Ducks Ice Arena Grant Program in honor of retiring State Senator James Metzen. Sen. Metzen was instrumental in creating the original Mighty Ducks program in 1995. Sen Metzen, who represented South St. Paul for over 40 years in the legislature, was a tireless supporter of youth hockey and ice sports all around the state.

The 2016 grant program has $10 million to help Minnesota communities eliminate R-22 refrigerant or improve air quality in ice arenas. Grant recipients must have at least one local partner who is a political subdivision of the state, and all grant applications require a minimum 1-to-1 dollar match from non-state sources.

Purpose and grant amounts

The purpose of this grant program is to assist Minnesota communities in:

  • Direct R-22 Refrigerant Elimination. Communities may apply for up to $400,000 to convert an existing direct R-22 refrigeration system.
  • Indirect R-22 Refrigerant Elimination. Communities may apply for up to $50,000 to convert an existing indirect R-22 refrigeration system
  • Indoor Air Quality Improvement. Communities may apply for up to $200,000 for new electric ice resurfacing equipment or for the replacement or renovation of HVAC systems to improve indoor air quality.

The result of a successful grant shall be to improve ice arenas capable of hosting all ice sports competitions and training as well as maximize the community’s ability to generate economic benefits by promoting ice sports programming for females and males.

Officials from the MASC will conduct a series of meetings throughout the state later this summer and fall to facilitate applications.

How to apply

A grant application is located at http://www.mnsports.org/mighty_ducks.stm

All proposals must be received no later than Monday, October 3, 2016.

Agency Contacts

Communities interested in submitting grant proposals, or responders who have questions regarding this application may contact: Mark Erickson, 763.785.5662, merickson@mnsports.org

Mighty Ducks Grant Program History

Between 1995 and 2000, the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission administered the original Mighty Ducks Grant Program. At the time, the program was initiated because of a serious shortage of ice time around the state. All young athletes were affected by this shortage, but the shortage was felt more severely by female hockey players. Girls’ and women’s hockey was growing, and the female side of the sport often lacked seniority in buying ice time. Instead of battling head-to-head with male hockey teams, the MASC pioneered an innovative solution: help construct additional ice facilities so all users could be accommodated.

When the original grant program was suspended in 2000, a total of $18 million was distributed, with 79 grants for new facilities producing 61 new sheets of ice, and 74 arenas receiving renovation grants. A total of $122 million of local and public non-state funding was generated to match the state grants.

In 2014, the Mighty Ducks Grant Program was revived. The grant program now focuses on funding the elimination of R-22 refrigeration systems and improving indoor air quality in ice arenas. In the past two years, two rounds of the new Mighty Ducks grant program totaled $3.5 million in grants.

Ten grants were awarded in 2014. Grants were awarded to the cities of Austin, Champlin, East Grand Forks, International Falls, New Hope, Sartell, West St. Paul, Winona and the Dassel-Cokato and Kittson Central School Districts.

Fifteen grants were awarded in 2015. Grants were awarded to the cities of Farmington, Grand Rapids, Kasson, La Crescent, Litchfield, New Prague, St. Louis Park, Shakopee, Silver Bay, and Stillwater; the counties of Hennepin, Lake of the Woods, and Steele; and the Pine City School District and St. Michael-Albertville Ice Arena Board.

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Blaine, Minn. (June 28, 2016) -- The State of Minnesota, acting through its agency, the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission (MASC), is seeking proposals from interested communities to improve and update ice arenas.

This year, the grant program was renamed the James Metzen Mighty Ducks Ice Arena Grant Program in honor of retiring State Senator James Metzen. Sen. Metzen was instrumental in creating the original Mighty Ducks program in 1995. Sen Metzen, who represented South St. Paul for over 40 years in the legislature, was a tireless supporter of youth hockey and ice sports all around the state.

The 2016 grant program has $10 million to help Minnesota communities eliminate R-22 refrigerant or improve air quality in ice arenas. Grant recipients must have at least one local partner who is a political subdivision of the state, and all grant applications require a minimum 1-to-1 dollar match from non-state sources.

Purpose and grant amounts

The purpose of this grant program is to assist Minnesota communities in:

  • Direct R-22 Refrigerant Elimination. Communities may apply for up to $400,000 to convert an existing direct R-22 refrigeration system.
  • Indirect R-22 Refrigerant Elimination. Communities may apply for up to $50,000 to convert an existing indirect R-22 refrigeration system
  • Indoor Air Quality Improvement. Communities may apply for up to $200,000 for new electric ice resurfacing equipment or for the replacement or renovation of HVAC systems to improve indoor air quality.

The result of a successful grant shall be to improve ice arenas capable of hosting all ice sports competitions and training as well as maximize the community’s ability to generate economic benefits by promoting ice sports programming for females and males.

Officials from the MASC will conduct a series of meetings throughout the state later this summer and fall to facilitate applications.

How to apply

A grant application is located at http://www.mnsports.org/mighty_ducks.stm

All proposals must be received no later than Monday, October 3, 2016.

Agency Contacts

Communities interested in submitting grant proposals, or responders who have questions regarding this application may contact: Mark Erickson, 763.785.5662,merickson@mnsports.org

Mighty Ducks Grant Program History

Between 1995 and 2000, the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission administered the original Mighty Ducks Grant Program. At the time, the program was initiated because of a serious shortage of ice time around the state. All young athletes were affected by this shortage, but the shortage was felt more severely by female hockey players. Girls’ and women’s hockey was growing, and the female side of the sport often lacked seniority in buying ice time. Instead of battling head-to-head with male hockey teams, the MASC pioneered an innovative solution: help construct additional ice facilities so all users could be accommodated.

When the original grant program was suspended in 2000, a total of $18 million was distributed, with 79 grants for new facilities producing 61 new sheets of ice, and 74 arenas receiving renovation grants. A total of $122 million of local and public non-state funding was generated to match the state grants.

In 2014, the Mighty Ducks Grant Program was revived. The grant program now focuses on funding the elimination of R-22 refrigeration systems and improving indoor air quality in ice arenas. In the past two years, two rounds of the new Mighty Ducks grant program totaled $3.5 million in grants.

Ten grants were awarded in 2014. Grants were awarded to the cities of Austin, Champlin, East Grand Forks, International Falls, New Hope, Sartell, West St. Paul, Winona and the Dassel-Cokato and Kittson Central School Districts.

Fifteen grants were awarded in 2015. Grants were awarded to the cities of Farmington, Grand Rapids, Kasson, La Crescent, Litchfield, New Prague, St. Louis Park, Shakopee, Silver Bay, and Stillwater; the counties of Hennepin, Lake of the Woods, and Steele; and the Pine City School District and St. Michael-Albertville Ice Arena Board.

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