BOZEMAN — In Montana, hockey has long been a popular sport — and now, it’s about to get a major upgrade. Gallatin Ice, home to many hockey players, is launching a multimillion-dollar expansion expected to reshape the community’s rink and the sport’s future in the region.
“It’s so exciting,” said Dave Weaver, hockey director for Gallatin Ice. Weaver helps coach all four teams that call the facility home — the Bozeman Icedogs, the Bozeman Stingers, Montana State University women’s team, and serves as head coach for MSU’s men’s team. It’s a job he’s loved since 2016.
WATCH: Take a look inside Gallatin Ice's massive $15M expansion - From 300 to 1,500 seats - this will transform Montana hockey
“In the 10 years, I think we’ve seen almost every program double in size,” Weaver said. “Youth is up to about 550. Adults right around 1,000 players now.”
Bozeman’s ice hockey community has grown rapidly over the years. It started with the Bogert Park Pavilion, built in 1977. In 2001, Haynes Pavilion opened at the Fairgrounds, marking the city’s first refrigerated ice sheet. A second rink was added in 2017.
“Having two ice sheets was absolutely a game changer for us,” Weaver said.
In 2021, temperature control upgrades allowed for year-round skating. Fast forward to 2025 — Gallatin Ice launched the “Finish the Ice Barn” campaign, a three-phase expansion.
“They can’t wait,” Weaver said of the players. “So many have heard about it for a long time, and the fact that it’s happening during their lifetime here as a player is really exciting.”
The first phase, completed in 2025 at a cost of $2.5 million, added a jumbo screen, sound system, 300 seats, and three additional locker rooms, according to Jeff Moore, Gallatin Ice’s philanthropy director.
Phase two begins in summer 2026 and includes a full west-side buildout: 850 additional seats, a mezzanine, a Blue Line Club-style bar, a suite for sponsors, new locker rooms for both MSU teams and the Icedogs, an off-ice training area, and more. The cost is estimated at around $8 million.
Phase three, set to begin in 2027, will add offices, a new main entry, and expanded concessions for about $3 million.
When completed in July 2027, the $15 million project will seat roughly 1,500 spectators.
“It’s huge for Bozeman, and it’s huge for hockey in Montana,” Moore said.
Moore believes the expansion will help elevate the sport nationwide.
“We’ve already been contacted by the National Hockey League,” he said. “This is a spot where it’s kind of in between the West Coast and the center of the country, so I think we’re going to see people from all over the country.”
For Weaver, the upgrades will also help attract top-tier talent.
“That allows you to recruit players that are excited to be here,” he said. “The quality of player will go up, which will make us more competitive on a national scale — and the goal is to win national championships.”
To learn more about the expansion, or how to donate to the cause, visit Gallatin Ice's website: https://gallatin-ice.s3.amazonaws.com/Gallatin-Ice-Arena-Master-Plan-compressed.pdf
