AMSOIL Arena


AMSOIL Arena is a multipurpose arena in Duluth, Minnesota, home to the UMD Men's and UMD Women's hockey teams. It opened in 2010, replacing the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center Arena on the waterfront near Duluth's landmark Aerial Lift Bridge.
Naming rights for 20 years were purchased by AMSOIL, a corporation based in Superior, Wisconsin, for $6 million, one-third up front.
The facility cost nearly $80 million; about half paid by the State of Minnesota through a 2008 bond bill, another 27% by a voter-approved city food-and-beverage tax increase, 12% by UMD, and the last 11% by the DECC. Construction ran from September 2008 to December 2010, and included a 475-space parking garage with a skywalk connecting it to the arena.
The first event held at the arena was on December 30, 2010. UMD men's hockey team lost 0-5 to North Dakota before a crowd of 6,764, tied for the team's highest home attendance that season.
In their first season in the arena, the UMD men's hockey team won the NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship. In 2012, the arena hosted the 2012 NCAA Division I Women's Ice Hockey Tournament, in which Minnesota beat Wisconsin, 4-2.
The arena's attendance record was set on June 20, 2018 during a President Donald Trump rally, which drew 8,372 people. The attendance record for a sporting event was set on January 25, 2020, when UMD men's hockey team lost to their rival, North Dakota, 2-3 in front of 7,711 fans.

Comparison to DECC Arena

CharacteristicDECC ArenaAMSOIL Arena
Hockey seating5,1006,726
Concessions2835 + 6 portable
Club space0 sq. ft.2000 sq. ft.
Suites016
Leg room between rows31"34" lower, 33" upper
Elevators13
Scoreboard10' x 12'15' x 20'
Ice sheet85' x 190'85' x 200'

Arena Usage

Hockey

AMSOIL Arena is primarily used as a hockey arena home to the University of Minnesota-Duluth's men's and women's hockey teams. The arena hosted the 2012 NCAA Division I Women's Ice Hockey Tournament.
AMSOIL Arena hosted the 2017 Ice Breaker Tournament, held October 6-7th 2017. Four teams participated in the tournament. Michigan Tech defeated Union College 6-3 and University of Minnesota Duluth defeated University of Minnesota 4-3 in overtime in the tournament's first round. In the final round, University of Minnesota Duluth fell to tournament champion Michigan Tech 4-3, while in the consolation game the University of Minnesota beat Union College 2-0.
Other hockey events include preseason practices for the National Hockey League's Minnesota Wild-open to the public, Minnesota State High School League section 7A and 7AA tournament games, as well as a high-school all-star game.

Basketball

AMSOIL Arena hosted the Harlem Globetrotters in 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019, for which Minnesota Lynx's court has been brought up from Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Events

AMSOIL Arena has held many different types of events, from comedians Jeff Dunham and Jim Gaffigan to Cirque du Soleil. The local AAD Shrine holds its annual AAD Shrine Circus fundraiser at the arena each April. The arena also hosts concerts. The Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra had the first non-sporting event held at the arena, "Cirque de la Symphonie on Ice", on December 31, 2010, a day after the facility opened. It can also be converted to host dinners and conventions. On June 20, 2018 President Donald Trump held a rally in the arena that saw a record breaking attendance of 8,372.
DateMain ArtistOther ArtistsTour NameAttendanceRevenueNotes
May 6, 2011Elton JohnGreatest Hits Live Tour
June 25, 2011Michael BubleNaturally 7Crazy Love Tour5,368 / 5,368$414,132
December 7, 2011Avenged SevenfoldHollywood Undead
Asking Alexandria
Black Veil Brides		The Buried Alive Tour
April 18, 2012Trans-Siberian OrchestraBeethoven's Last Night Tour 2012
March 22, 2013Jason AldeanJake Owen
Thomas Rhett		2013 Night Train Tour
February 1, 2014Justin MooreRandy Houser
Josh Thompson		Off The Beaten Path Tour
February 15, 2014TobyMacBrandon Heath
Matt Maher
Mandisa
Matthew West		Hits Deep Tour
April 6, 2014Casting CrownsLaura Story
For King & Country		Thrive Tour
April 11, 2014LudacrisTwo-9
DJ Sidereal
March 26, 2015Little Big TownChris StapletonThe Painkiller Tour
April 24, 2015Juicy JBrother Ali
GRRRL PRTY
DJ Shannon Blowtorch
December 3, 2015Chris YoungEric Paslay
Clare Dunn		I'm Comin' Over Tour
June 1, 2016James Taylor
August 19, 2016KissCaleb JohnsonFreedom to Rock Tour5,157 / 5,883$406,092
August 6, 2016The Beach BoysThe TemptationsSurf & Soul TourDECC's 50th Anniversary Concert
November 6, 2016Keith UrbanMaren MorrisripCORD World Tour 2016
November 26, 2016Bryan AdamsGet Up Tour
March 4, 2017Thomas RhettKelsea Ballerini
Russell Dickerson
Ryan Hurd		Home Team Tour 2017
April 29, 2017Brantley GilbertLuke Combs
Brian Davis		The Devil Don't Sleep Tour
August 3, 2017Chris StapletonMargo Price
Brent Cobb		All-American Road Show Tour
March 13, 2018StyxREO Speedwagon
Don Felder
March 16, 2018Little Big TownKacey Musgraves
Midland		The Breakers Tour
November 7, 2018AlabamaWhiskey TrailThe Hits Tour 2018Rescheduled from September 30, 2018
December 15, 2018Old DominionHigh ValleyHappy Endings World Tour
March 7, 2019Dierks BentleyJon Pardi
Tenille Townes
Hot Country Knights		Burning Man Tour
April 11, 2019Luke CombsLANCO
Jameson Rodgers		Beer Never Broke My Heart Tour
May 9, 2019Kelsea BalleriniBrett Young
Brandon Radcliff		The Miss Me More Tour
October 19, 2019Chris YoungEli Young Band
Matt Stell		Raised on Country Tour

Awards

In 2013, Stadium Journey rated AMSOIL Arena as the best stadium experience in the United States and Canada. In 2014 and 2015, Stadium Journey rated AMSOIL Arena as the second best stadium experience in the United States and Canada, behind Oriole Park at Camden Yards home to Major League Baseball's Baltimore Orioles.
AMSOIL Arena was ranked the best college hockey arena by Stadium Journey in 2014 and 2015.
The Wall Street Journal named AMSOIL Arena one of its 10 "Golden Zamboni" winners for its uniqueness among the nation's college hockey venues.