Expanding the scope.
 
And adding a lot of new fire to the ice.
 
After housing all four of its hockey teams at AZ Ice Arcadia the past eight seasons, the Grand Canyon University Hockey programs are about to call two different venues home. Beginning this fall, the GCU Men's Hockey's Division 1 and Division 2 programs will train, practice and play all home games at the brand-new Fire 'n' Ice Arena, a 250,000-square-foot, $190 million multi-sport complex about to open in north Phoenix. The facility features two full-size NHL rinks, seating for up to 2,500 fans, as well as locker rooms and film-review spaces built for showcase and tournament-level hockey, plus a boutique hotel within walking distance of the arena.

"This move is a significant step forward for our program," said GCU Head Men's Hockey Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Danny Roy. "Fire-N-Ice Arena provides our Division I and Division II players with a dedicated home that matches the vision we have for the future of GCU Hockey. As we continue to raise the standard of our program, having access to a facility that supports high-performance training and player development is extremely important."
The GCU Men's Division 3 team and both Grand Canyon University Women's Hockey programs will remain at AZ Ice Arcadia, continuing the Lopes' relationship with the central Phoenix rink that has served as home ice since 2018. The Lopes' Women's program just announced that it will use that extra space to add a Division 2 program of its own beginning in September
 
The move gives the D1 and D2 Lopes access to a modern, hockey-purpose-built facility as the program continues to build on the momentum of the last two seasons, which saw the D1 squad earn berths (and wins) at the American Collegiate Hockey Association National Championships for the first time ever.

"We are building something special at Grand Canyon University," said Roy. "Our players, recruits, alumni, and supporters should be excited about what this means for the future. Fire-N-Ice Arena gives us an opportunity to continue growing the program, attract top-level student-athletes, and provide an experience that reflects the ambition and culture of GCU Hockey."

The new arena complex, which is being developed by SSS Partners and CEO Shubham Pandey, will also be the home of new basketball, volleyball and pickleball courts, with boxing and fencing programs slated to be on board by this time next year. The Lopes will share the arena this coming season with the Phoenix Inferno, Arizona's first NA3HL junior hockey team.