Roseville’s own John Rose Minnesota OVAL went head-to-head with some of the most iconic ice rinks in the country - and we iced the competition!
The OVAL is the winner in the 2023 USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice travel award contest for Best Ice Skating Rink.
The OVAL finished first, beating out 19 other nominees there were selected by an expert panel. The public was then asked to vote for the rink that provided a “superior ice skating experience.”
Other rinks that rounded out the top five are Curry Village Ice Rink at Yosemite National Park; The Boston Common Frog Pond; Frankenmuth Ice Rink in Michigan’s Little Bavaria; and Ice on Main in Greenville, South Carolina.
The national recognition comes as the OVAL celebrates its 30th season.
The OVAL is the largest artificial outdoor sheet of ice in North America and draws elite athletes and amateur skaters from around the region and the nation.
The OVAL was first conceived in the 1980s in pursuit of the 1996 U.S. Olympic bid.
Minnesota saw its Olympic dreams dashed, but momentum to build a state-of-the-art ice rink in Roseville was already building. The OVAL opened in December 1993.
The 110,000 square feet of outdoor refrigerated ice has hosted international events. It’s the home of bandy in the United States and is used by the United States men's and women‘s national bandy teams. It’s also open to the public.