Wichita Thunder

Wichita Ice Center selected as one of four finalists for ‘Kraft Hockeyville USA 2020’

More than 2,600 hockey and figure-skating enthusiasts have signed an online petition asking the city to sever its management agreement with Genesis Health Clubs for operation of the Wichita Ice Center.
More than 2,600 hockey and figure-skating enthusiasts have signed an online petition asking the city to sever its management agreement with Genesis Health Clubs for operation of the Wichita Ice Center. The Wichita Eagle

The Wichita Ice Center could see a big renovation soon, but it needs local citizens’ help to make it happen.

The Ice Center has been selected as one of four finalists for “Kraft Hockeyville USA 2020” designation, the Wichita Thunder announced Monday.

The champion earns a $150,000 award for rink improvements. Runner-up will receive $30,000, and the final two rinks will get $10,000. The NHL Players Association will also offer $10,000 for hockey equipment to each of the four finalists. One voter will also win $5,000 as part of a sweepstakes.

A public vote will decide the winner with the first round running through Aug. 29 and the second round from 7 a.m. Aug. 29 to 11 a.m. Aug. 30.

“This year’s compelling stories from some of America’s hockey communities were some of the best we’ve seen to date,” said Magen Hanrahan, vice president of media and marketing services at Kraft Heinz, in the release. “We’re excited to watch the country virtually rally around the top four finalists and inspire more local communities as much as the top four have inspired our judges.”

Wichita’s three other finalists are out of Grand Forks, Minnesota; El Paso, Texas; and River Falls, Wisconsin.

This story was originally published August 17, 2020 at 2:09 PM.

Hayden Barber
The Wichita Eagle
Wichita Eagle preps reporter Hayden Barber brings the area updates on all high school sports while adding those hard-to-find human-interest stories on Wichita’s student-athletes.
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