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 DECC 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 ($38 million) paid by the State of Minnesota through a 2008 bond bill, another 27% (about $21.6 million) by a voter-approved city food-and-beverage tax increase, 12% (about $9.6 million) by UMD, and the last 11% (about $8.8 million) 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.url=http://umdbulldogs.com/sports/2013/8/30/Amsoil-Arena.aspx?path=general
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
Characteristic DECC ArenaAMSOIL Arena Hockey seating 5,100 6,726 Concessions 28 35 + 6 portable Club space 0 sq. ft. 2000 sq. ft. Suites 0 16 Leg room between rows 31" 34" lower, 33" upper Elevators 1 3 Scoreboard 10' x 12' 15' x 20' Ice sheet 85' 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 and the 2023 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 (WNBA) court has been brought up from Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Arena Football After two seasons as the Duluth Harbor Monsters with The Arena League, the team rebranded as the Minnesota Monsters as they moved operations to Arena Football One. The team has even moved games from the DECC Arena to AMSOIL Arena for the 2026 season before relocation to Minneapolis-St. Paul.
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.url=http://decc.org/event/71st-annual-aad-shrine-circus/ 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.
List of concerts Date Main Artist Other artists Tour Name Attendance Revenue Notes May 6, 2011 Elton John Greatest Hits Live Tour June 25, 2011 Michael Buble Naturally 7 Crazy Love Tour 5,368 / 5,368 $414,132 December 7, 2011 Avenged Sevenfold Hollywood UndeadAsking AlexandriaBlack Veil Brides The Buried Alive Tour April 18, 2012 Trans-Siberian Orchestra Beethoven's Last Night Tour 2012 March 22, 2013 Jason Aldean Jake OwenThomas Rhett 2013 Night Train Tour February 1, 2014 Justin Moore Randy HouserJosh Thompson Off The Beaten Path Tour February 15, 2014 TobyMac Brandon HeathMatt MaherMandisaMatthew West Hits Deep Tour April 6, 2014 Casting Crowns Laura Story For King & Country Thrive Tour url=http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/content/best-bets-casting-crowns-plays-amsoil/ April 11, 2014 Ludacris Two-9DJ Sidereal url=http://twinportsnightlife.com/ludacris.htm March 26, 2015 Little Big Town Chris Stapleton The Painkiller Tour url=http://www.livenation.com/events/432451-mar-26-2015-little-big-town-the-painkiller-tour April 24, 2015 Juicy J Brother AliGRRRL PRTYDJ Shannon Blowtorch url=http://www.twinportsnightlife.com/juicyj.htm December 3, 2015 Chris Young Eric PaslayClare Dunn I'm Comin' Over Tour June 1, 2016 James Taylor url=http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/features/4046021-concert-review-taylor-pleases-amsoil-crowd-laid-back-performance August 19, 2016 Kiss Caleb Johnson Freedom to Rock Tour 5,157 / 5,883 $406,092 August 6, 2016 The Beach Boys The Temptations Surf & Soul Tour DECC's 50th Anniversary Concert url=https://www.perfectduluthday.com/the-event/decc-50th-anniversary-with-the-beach-boys-and-the-temptations/ November 6, 2016 Keith Urban Maren Morris ripCORD World Tour 2016 November 26, 2016 Bryan Adams Get Up Tour March 4, 2017 Thomas Rhett Kelsea BalleriniRussell DickersonRyan Hurd Home Team Tour 2017 April 29, 2017 Brantley Gilbert Luke CombsBrian Davis The Devil Don't Sleep Tour August 3, 2017 Chris Stapleton Margo PriceBrent Cobb All-American Road Show Tour March 13, 2018 Styx REO SpeedwagonDon Felder March 16, 2018 Little Big Town Kacey MusgravesMidland The Breakers Tour November 7, 2018 Alabama Whiskey Trail The Hits Tour 2018 Rescheduled fromSeptember 30, 2018 December 15, 2018 Old Dominion High Valley Happy Endings World Tour March 7, 2019 Dierks Bentley Jon PardiTenille TownesHot Country Knights Burning Man Tour April 11, 2019 Luke Combs LANCOJameson Rodgers Beer Never Broke My Heart Tour May 9, 2019 Kelsea Ballerini Brett YoungBrandon Ratcliff The Miss Me More Tour May 15, 2019 Chicago October 19, 2019 Chris Young Eli Young BandMatt Stell Raised on Country Tour April 2, 2022 Granger Smith LANCOLainey Wilson April 21, 2022 MercyMe Rend CollectiveAndrew Ripp July 10, 2022 Travis Tritt Derek JonesMaygen and the Birdwatcher September 3, 2022 Styx REO SpeedwagonLoverboy February 18, 2023 Old Dominion Frank RayKassi AshtonGreylan James No Bad Vibes Tour April 21, 2023 Kevin Gates Waka Flocka FlameKelly IrisBaby Shel June 20, 2023 Doobie Brothers Michael McDonald July 23, 2023 Whiskey Myers Brent Cobb 2023 Tour October 17, 2023 Dropkick Murphys The InterruptersJesse Ahern Fall Tour 2023 March 22, 2024 Sam Hunt Brett YoungLily Rose April 19, 2024 Gucci Mane ProfDJ Sophia Eris September 27, 2024 Foreigner Lita Ford Foreigner Farewell 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.
References