Gene Polisseni Center

Gene Polisseni Center

Gene Polisseni Center during an RIT hockey game
Location	200 Lomb Memorial Drive Henrietta, New York 14623
Coordinates	43°4′57.26″N 77°40′28.56″W
Owner	Rochester Institute of Technology
Operator	Rochester Institute of Technology
Capacity	Ice Hockey: 4,300[4] Concerts: 5,980
Field size	200x85ft[2]
Surface	Ice
Construction
Broke ground	October 19, 2012; 12 years ago (2012-10-19)[1]
Opened	September 18, 2014; 10 years ago (2014-09-18)[2]
Construction cost	$38 million USD[2]
Architect	BBB Architects[3]
Main contractors	LeChase Construction Services, LLC[2]
Tenants
RIT Tigers men's ice hockey (2014–present) RIT Tigers women's ice hockey (2014–present)
Website
http://www.rit.edu/fa/arenas

The Gene Polisseni Center (colloquially known as the Polisseum or by its initials, the GPC) 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 continued to be used as an ice arena until 2021 when it was converted to a temporary library, and is soon to be repurposed into an indoor turf field.^[6][7] 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.^[8] 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.^[9]

Fundraising efforts

Fundraising was started with a $1 million USD donation from Stephen and Vicki Schultz.^[10] Naming rights were given based on a $4.5 million donation from the Polisseni Foundation (with backing from B. Thomas Golisano)^[11] and were announced on November 11, 2011 during the men's hockey game against Air Force.^[12]

West exterior wall of the Gene Polisseni Center

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),^[13] 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.^[14]

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

Temporary closure

The arena was temporarily shut down on October 15, 2021 for an ammonia leak early in the morning, which also closed down the neighboring Andrews Memorial Drive and Parking Lot U.^[15] This prompted University officials to move their women's hockey exhibition game against Cornell University to the Blue Cross Arena in Downtown Rochester^[16] and postpone their women's hockey game against St. Lawrence to Tuesday, November 23.^[17]

The arena reopened on October 29, 2021, when the women's team hosted St. Thomas^[18] and the men's team hosted Mercyhurst.^[19]

References

1. "Groundbreaking for RIT's Polisseni Center slated for Oct. 19". U.S. College Hockey Online. September 4, 2012.
2. Mandelaro, Jim (October 19, 2012). "RIT ready to begin construction of $37 million hockey arena". Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester, New York. pp. 1A, 4A. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
3. Stella, Paul (May 10, 2012). "RIT Selects Architect for Gene Polisseni Center". Rochester Institute of Technology.
4. "About the Gene Polisseni Center". Rochester Institute of Technology.
5. Mozer, Mindy (September 19, 2014). "Gene Polisseni Center opens with a roar". Rochester Institute of Technology.
6. Gawlowicz, Susan (April 30, 2021). "RIT Libraries moves to temporary home in Ritter Arena". Rochester Institute of Technology. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
7. Moe, Taylor (September 16, 2023). "Frank Ritter Ice Arena? Nope, Frank Ritter Field". Reporter Magazine. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
8. "Ice Hockey Arena FAQs". Rochester Institute of Technology. Archived from the original on June 10, 2014.
9. Stella, Paul (June 7, 2012). "RIT Selects Official Site for New Arena". Rochester Institute of Technology.
10. Stella, Paul (December 9, 2010). "From out of the 'Corner' and into the spotlight". RIT Athenaeum. Rochester Institute of Technology. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014.
11. Stella, Paul (November 12, 2011). "Future RIT Hockey Arena to become the Gene Polisseni Center". Rochester Institute of Technology.
12. Gene Polisseni Center Announcement. WHEC-TV. November 12, 2011 – via YouTube.
13. As of June 30, 2009."U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2009 Endowment Market Value and Percentage Change in Endowment Market Value from FY 2008 to FY 2009" (PDF). 2009 NACUBO-Commonfund Study of Endowments. National Association of College and University Business Officers. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 14, 2017. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
14. "Take a Seat in the Gene Polisseni Center". Rochester Institute of Technology. Archived from the original on October 15, 2014.
15. "HAZMAT team investigating ammonia leak at RIT's ice arena". WHEC-TV. October 15, 2021. Archived from the original on October 15, 2021.
16. "Saturday's Women's Hockey exhibition vs. Cornell moved to Blue Cross Arena". Rochester Institute of Technology. October 15, 2021.
17. "Women's Hockey games vs. St. Lawrence changed with next game away on Friday". Rochester Institute of Technology. October 18, 2021.
18. "Women's Hockey hosts St. Thomas this weekend". Rochester Institute of Technology. October 28, 2021.
19. "Men's Hockey hosts Mercyhurst for two-game Atlantic Hockey set". Rochester Institute of Technology. October 28, 2021.

External links

• Official website