The Colorado Eagles and the City of Greeley have agreed to a 40-year lease agreement for an arena project. This will bring the Eagles to the City of Greeley and their new arena starting with the 2028–29 season.

“We are extremely excited to partner with the City of Greeley to become the anchor tenant at this world-class facility,” said Eagles owner and CEO Martin Lind. “As we await the completion of construction, we are pleased to be able to continue to entertain our fans at Blue Arena, which has served as our home since our inaugural season in 2003-04. We will continue to provide the same outstanding experience that our fans have enjoyed for over two decades and are committed to making these final three seasons at Blue Arena our best ones yet.”

At the end of August, there was controversy within a small group in Greeley regarding the project’s continuation. Earlier in the year, the Greely city council had approved funds for the project using city property as collateral. The group believed the city council lacked authority and desired to compel a further ballot.


The new arena project will include a main arena that will seat 8,600 fans, 33 percent larger than Blue Arena. This new facility will house three additional rinks, which can host local youth, adult, and high school teams. The arena is aiming to become the hockey haven of Northern Colorado. Besides hockey, there will be a hotel, restaurants and a water park. The Eagles currently practice at the NoCo Ice arena, so having new facilities could draw players to the team. Improved locker rooms, recovery and player deployment facilities will also help draw players to the team.

Blue Arena has served as the home of the Colorado Eagles since the team started playing in 2003. The arena itself has undergone several renovations to meet the expectations of each league it has joined. In order to join the AHL, the arena underwent renovations, putting it at its current seating capacity of just under 6,000. The Eagles have had no issues with attendance, as they have sold out almost every game since joining the AHL. So increased capacity may help grow the fanbase in the region.

Development spanned multiple seasons for this project. Greeley, along with the Eagles, expects a financial gain from this agreement, with city coffers receiving tax revenue. This secures Northern Colorado as the Eagles’ territory for several seasons.