Planet Ice Milton Keynes
| The MK Arena (The Thunderdome) | |
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| Former names | Bladerunner Arena |
|---|---|
| Location | Planet Ice, 1 South Row, Central Milton Keynes, Milton Keynes MK9 1BL |
| Owner | The Arena Group Ltd |
| Operator | Planet Ice |
| Capacity | 2,800 (2,200 seated) |
| Opened | 1990 |
| Tenants | |
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Milton Keynes Thunder (2001–present) Milton Keynes Lightning (2002–present) Milton Keynes Lions (1998–2012) Milton Keynes Kings (1990–1996, 1998–2002) London Knights (1998–2000) |
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Planet Ice Milton Keynes is a 2,800-capacity multi-purpose ice rink/hockey rink located in Milton Keynes, England, as part of the Leisure Plaza complex (near the Central station).
In 1990, the rink opened as the Bladerunner Arena as part of the brand new Leisure Plaza complex, located close to Milton Keynes Central railway station. The Leisure Plaza facility offered a leisure and retail complex to Milton Keynes: the location featured trees, shrubbery, family picnic areas and a large pond hosting wildlife and plants with a footbridge crossing the water. In addition to the ice rink, the new complex also featured Flamingo's nightclub, Megabowl 10-pin bowling alley, Cafe Moonshine (later Heroes sports bar), an Argos superstore and Homebase centre.
The ice rink itself boasted 2,200 seats, 3 licensed bars (one overlooking the ice surface, the other a kiosk at ice level), a restaurant, 3 function rooms (2 of which overlooked the ice surface – one having a bar), an ice sports shop, cafeteria, video games area, skate hire, 8 team changing rooms (1 reserved for the home professional ice hockey team), DJ box, management offices and an olympic sized ice pad. Its facilities and ice pad was one of several rinks which opened in the 1980s and '90s. In the early '90s two of Bladerunner's smaller changing rooms were converted into a large changing room, office and meeting area for the specific use of the Milton Keynes Kings Junior Ice Hockey Club.
Bladerunner would regularly sellout on Kings game nights and would often have to turn customers away due to the success of their public ice skating sessions. Other events included ice shows, figure skating competitions and concerts. On several occasions the Great Britain men's national ice hockey team used the arena for training camps and games and it was also used as the training base for Olympic champion figure skaters, Jane Torvill & Christopher Dean.
In 1992 arena owners First Leisure closed the venue, however it was opened soon after following public outcry, including public rallies outside the offices of Milton Keynes Council and First Leisure. Public demand saw the ice rink re-open in time for the 1992/93 ice hockey season. However this was not the last time the ice rink would close its doors, a second short closing and re-opening in the early 90's was followed by a permanent closure in 1996.
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