Las Vegas Nonprofit Launches $15M Fundraising Drive for Community Sports Complex With Two Ice Rinks

A proposed nonprofit Las Vegas Community Sports Complex aims to meet rising demand for youth hockey and other sports by delivering two NHL-sized ice rinks and a multi-use indoor athletic hub within a 130,000-square-foot facility. The plan responds to a regional surge in participation that has outpaced available ice time, with youth hockey in Southern Nevada up 268% since 2017 as the number of community rinks expanded from three to seven, including City National Arena and the America First Center.

Organizers say the boom, accelerated by the success of the Vegas Golden Knights, has created a shortage of ice, pushing players to extreme training hours and limiting opportunities for new athletes. "Youth hockey has experienced a spectacular boom, as reflected in USA Hockey's annual figures, and that's fantastic, but when there aren't enough facilities to support that growth, you start to see a decline, as there are many kids who want to play but have nowhere to do it," says Usufzy, the foundation's executive director. 

"They're going to look for another sport, so we hope to get this project off the ground so kids can continue to fall in love with the sport, and we hope to be able to provide them with ice rinks," Usufzy continues.

"The growth of hockey is becoming crazy in our city," Young said. He also believes that a lack of infrastructure is hindering the sport's even greater growth in Southern Nevada. "When you have to train at 5 or 6 in the morning, and they close the track at 11 or 12 at night, and there still isn't enough time for everyone to play, it's clear there's a need," Young said.

The complex would feature two NHL-sized sheets, a 200-by-85-foot artificial turf field for football and lacrosse, seating for about 1,500, training facilities, retail, concessions, a full-service restaurant, and a rooftop bar. Plans call for year-round training, summer programs, community events, watch parties, and cross-training opportunities, with the Las Vegas Ice Warriors potentially using the venue as their home.

The $15 million project is entirely privately funded, supported in part by the NHLPA Growth Fund's $3.6 million commitment to youth hockey initiatives connected to the Golden Knights. Fundraising began in early November and will continue for 12 to 18 months, seeking monetary and in-kind donations, including seating, office furnishings, and sports equipment.

Gina Usufzy founded the Jake Kielb's Hockey Foundation to remove participation barriers through free equipment, clinics, and scholarships, named for her son, who entered youth hockey 13 years ago. "My former ice rink manager used to tell me all the time, 'Gina, Rome wasn't built in a day,' and that's always stuck with me. If it were easy, someone would have done it already," Usufzy said. "The community needs this, and we need help to give the community what it needs. Help us help our young people."