The proposal, which will be presented to the Escondido City Council on June 3, calls for the development of a sprawling public skating and hockey facility featuring three sheets of ice, including a main arena with seating for between 2,000 and 3,000 spectators. If ultimately approved, the complex would serve as the primary training and practice home for the American Hockey League's San Diego Gulls while also functioning as a year-round community recreation center.
The project is being spearheaded by The Rinks Foundation, the nonprofit organization founded by Anaheim Ducks and San Diego Gulls owners Henry and Susan Samueli. According to project details released this week, the facility would be fully funded and constructed by the foundation, with no construction costs borne by Escondido taxpayers.
Plans envision a facility that would go far beyond professional hockey operations. The complex would host youth, high school, and adult hockey leagues, figure skating programs, learn-to-skate classes, public skating sessions, curling, broomball, sled hockey, tournaments, and other community events. Additional amenities under consideration include locker rooms, training and conditioning facilities, nutrition centers, a restaurant, and competition space capable of hosting major regional and national events.
The project would help fill a significant gap in local ice sports infrastructure following the closure of Ice-Plex Escondido in 2020. For decades, the two-rink facility served as a hub for hockey players, figure skaters, and recreational skaters throughout North County before shutting down amid financial challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Escondido City Manager Sean McGlynn described the former Ice-Plex as an important community asset and said city leaders are excited about the possibility of restoring and expanding ice sports opportunities in the region.
"When Ice Plex Escondido closed, we lost an incredible community asset as it was the largest ice skating facility in the County," McGlynn said in a statement. "We look forward to exploring the opportunity to not only bring ice sports back to Escondido but to expand access to ice sheets for the entire Southern California region."
According to The Rinks Foundation, demand for ice sports continues to grow throughout San Diego County despite limited facilities. Organizers note there are currently only six sheets of ice available countywide despite San Diego being California's second-most populous county.
The proposed Escondido complex would mirror the Ducks' highly successful Great Park Ice and FivePoint Arena development in Irvine, a four-rink facility that opened in 2019 and has become one of the nation's largest public ice complexes. Great Park Ice serves as the Ducks' practice facility and hosts thousands of youth and adult participants annually.
Aaron Teats, president of The Rinks Foundation, said the Escondido project would help meet growing demand for skating and hockey while creating a destination capable of attracting an estimated one million visitors each year.
The proposal is currently in its earliest stages. City officials and The Rinks Foundation are seeking approval of a Memorandum of Understanding that would allow both parties to evaluate the project's feasibility, conduct due diligence, and gather public feedback through community meetings and online outreach.
If the City Council authorizes the exploration process and the project eventually moves forward, construction is expected to take approximately three years.
For North County residents who have gone without a major ice facility since the closure of Ice-Plex Escondido, the proposal represents the possibility of restoring a long-missed community amenity while creating what could become one of Southern California's premier destinations for hockey, skating, and ice sports.
The Escondido City Council is scheduled to discuss the proposed Memorandum of Understanding during its June 3 meeting.
Originally published on May 28, 2026.
"When Ice Plex Escondido closed, we lost an incredible community asset as it was the largest ice skating facility in the County," McGlynn said in a statement. "We look forward to exploring the opportunity to not only bring ice sports back to Escondido but to expand access to ice sheets for the entire Southern California region."
According to The Rinks Foundation, demand for ice sports continues to grow throughout San Diego County despite limited facilities. Organizers note there are currently only six sheets of ice available countywide despite San Diego being California's second-most populous county.
The proposed Escondido complex would mirror the Ducks' highly successful Great Park Ice and FivePoint Arena development in Irvine, a four-rink facility that opened in 2019 and has become one of the nation's largest public ice complexes. Great Park Ice serves as the Ducks' practice facility and hosts thousands of youth and adult participants annually.
Aaron Teats, president of The Rinks Foundation, said the Escondido project would help meet growing demand for skating and hockey while creating a destination capable of attracting an estimated one million visitors each year.
The proposal is currently in its earliest stages. City officials and The Rinks Foundation are seeking approval of a Memorandum of Understanding that would allow both parties to evaluate the project's feasibility, conduct due diligence, and gather public feedback through community meetings and online outreach.
If the City Council authorizes the exploration process and the project eventually moves forward, construction is expected to take approximately three years.
For North County residents who have gone without a major ice facility since the closure of Ice-Plex Escondido, the proposal represents the possibility of restoring a long-missed community amenity while creating what could become one of Southern California's premier destinations for hockey, skating, and ice sports.
The Escondido City Council is scheduled to discuss the proposed Memorandum of Understanding during its June 3 meeting.
Originally published on May 28, 2026.