Gene Polisseni Center

Gene Polisseni Center

Gene Polisseni Center during an open skate
Location	200 Lomb Memorial Drive Henrietta, New York 14623
Coordinates	43°4′57.26″N 77°40′28.56″W / 43.0825722°N 77.6746000°W / 43.0825722; -77.6746000Coordinates: 43°4′57.26″N 77°40′28.56″W / 43.0825722°N 77.6746000°W / 43.0825722; -77.6746000
Owner	Rochester Institute of Technology
Operator	Rochester Institute of Technology
Capacity	Ice Hockey: 4,300[1] Concerts: 5,980
Field size	200x85ft[2]
Surface	Ice
Construction
Broke ground	October 19, 2012 [3]
Opened	September 18, 2014[2]
Construction cost	$38 million USD[2]
Architect	BBB Architects[4]
Main contractors	LeChase Construction Services, LLC[2]
Tenants
RIT Tigers (men) RIT Tigers (women)	2014–Present 2014–Present
Website
http://www.rit.edu/fa/arenas

The Gene Polisseni Center is an ice arena on the Rochester Institute of Technology campus in Henrietta, New York. Ground was broken for the project on October 19, 2012,^[2] and the arena was officially dedicated on September 18, 2014.^[5]

The arena is the home of the varsity ice hockey teams at RIT, replacing the Frank Ritter Memorial Ice Arena. Ritter Arena continues to be used as an ice arena.^[6] The Polisseni Center serves primarily as a hockey arena (for RIT varsity hockey and local youth programs), and it will also be a multi-purpose venue.^[6] The Polisseni Center is built not far from Ritter Arena on the RIT campus, south of the Student Alumni Union, replacing portions of parking lot U.^[7]

Fundraising efforts

Fundraising was started with a $1 million USD donation from Stephen and Vicki Schultz.^[8] Naming rights were given based on a $4.5 million USD donation from the Polisseni Foundation (with backing from B. Thomas Golisano)^[9] and were announced on November 11, 2011 during the men's hockey game against Air Force.^[10]

With arena construction being an estimated $30 million, the funding of the project has been divided into two components. The first half will be borrowed against RIT's endowment fund (worth $544 million),^[11] and paid back with sponsorship and ticket sales. The second half of the cost is a grassroots fundraising effort called the Tiger Power Play. The Tiger Power Play is an effort to bring in both big name donations (like Tom Golisano) as well as garner support from students and alumni. Small donations could be made by cell phone text message. Larger donations have been working directly with school administration. Sales of nameplates for seats is also available, initially costing $1,000 per nameplate, and later reduced to $500.^[12]

J.M. Allain, CEO of Trans-Lux and an RIT graduate, donated $1 million for a new video scoreboard.^[2]

References