One-of-a-Kind Arena Set to Open in January 2023

Less than seven months after the official groundbreaking, the last piece of steel was put into place at Sacred Heart University’s Martire Family Arena located in Fairfield, Connecticut. Home to the school’s Division I hockey programs, club teams and nationally ranked figure skating team, the $70-million project is slated to open in January of 2023.

What has only been imagined through artist renderings is becoming reality with the addition of the final pieces of steel. The concourse from the East Building, at SHU’s West Campus where the success of the varsity hockey programs will be showcased, as well as the east entrance, from which SHU students will enter before they cheer on the Pioneers, are starting to form.

Standing on the patio of the West Campus’ East Building—the best vantage point of an arena that will have a raucous college hockey atmosphere with NHL-level amenities—you can see the main concourse and seating bowl coming into form. There, Sacred Heart fans will be treated to the finest food and beverage offerings, along with a pro shop to outfit them with all their Pioneer gear needs.

The outlines of the rink, stands for 4,000 fans and VIP suites are also taking shape. In most arenas, the space in between steel beams on the northern side of the building would be filled in with concrete, but the Martire Family Arena will feature state-of-the-art windows that can adjust depending on the time of day to allow for the most natural light, while maintaining prime ice conditions.

The facility will be named for the Martire family. Frank Martire, a 1969 graduate of Sacred Heart, is chairman of the university’s board of trustees and has an equity interest in the NHL’s Las Vegas franchise, the Vegas Golden Knights.

Development and construction of the arena is a collaboration among JLG Architects, the SLAM Collaborative, Dimensional Innovations and Consigli Construction.

Watch the latest construction update: https://youtu.be/4dK1kyJ4inQ

Photos by Tracy Deer-Mirek.