MIAMASpring Workshop
The following is a summary report from the MIAMA Spring Workshop held on May 6, 2026, in Rogers, Minnesota. The day included the annual business meeting, state-of-the-organization address, breakout demonstration sessions on the ice, and a vendor trade show. This report documents key takeaways, technical learnings, and observations for the benefit of our team.
State of the Organization
MIAMA President Eric Edhlund opened the meeting and introduced the board — 14 members total, 9 voting and 4 non-voting. All board members are volunteers who pay their own dues and registration fees out of pocket as general MIAMA members.
Key points from the state of the organization address:
- Youth participation numbers are trending up across the state
- Geothermal systems and tax credits are driving a sustainability push in arena operations
- Community hockey infrastructure is a growing focus — the privately owned Minnesota Wild and Minnesota Hockey are actively looking for land, capital, and property to support outdoor covered rinks
- Rental rates and expenses tied to prime interest rates remain a pressure point
- Private equity firms are looking to acquire rinks — Edhlund cautioned that this typically results in rate increases that squeeze out youth organizations
- Refrigerated outdoor rinks are meaningfully extending the skating season across many markets
- Upcoming signature events: Hockey Day Minnesota in Hastings (2026) and Brainerd (2027)
New Rinks & Renovations on the horizon:
- Runestone — Alexandria
- BIG — Bloomington
- MGCC — Maple Grove
- St. Thomas — St. Paul
- DSA — Delano
- MAC — St. Cloud
- Tartan — Oakdale
Honoring the Community
Multiple members were recognized for years of service across 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30-year milestones. The following board members were acknowledged as they transition out of their roles:
Four winners announced. Award covers registration and lodging for the Fall Conference. Contact: Dean Mulso — dmulso@miama.org
Awarded to Veterans Memorial Ice Arena. Covers registration for the Fall Conference. Member recognition acknowledgements route through Dean Mulso.
Mike Bauer & Mayor Shannon Click
Mike Bauer, who manages the TruStone Center in Rogers, highlighted a significant facility investment: an 80kW solar installation on the roof across three connected structures. A strong example of operational sustainability at the local arena level.
Shannon Click, Mayor of Rogers, spoke to the role hockey plays in building civic pipelines. Key themes from her remarks:
- Hockey as a gateway sport that sustains community youth engagement
- Growing participation pipelines leads to demand for more rinks — a compounding civic return
- The value of institutional partnerships (TRIA, HealthPartners) as anchors for long-term funding
- Naming rights as a viable pathway to capital for smaller facilities
Ice Logo Installation
Led by Bert Bertelsen of R&R Specialties and Cory Portner, this breakout covered three methods of logo application with a live demonstration of the fabric logo method. The demonstration used the N32 North logo — a large-format, multi-person application.
Optimal logo application temperature is around 13–14°F — as cold as it can get. Always use cold water for application. Warm or hot water can cause the edges of the logo fabric to bend down, which results in poor visibility and an unclean final appearance.
The demonstrator recommended using a nozzle with a ball valve for best flow regulation during application.
Three Logo Methods Covered
Method 1 — Fabric Logo (Recommended)
Method 2 — Vinyl Logo
Method 3 — Chalk Transfer (Paper Template)
Ice Depth Measuring & Recording
Led by Cory Portner, this session covered proper protocols for drilling and measuring ice depth across the full sheet. The methodology is designed to produce a reliable data picture of ice thickness distribution.
Take up to 28 measurements per sheet — 7 per quadrant. Drill through clear portions of ice wherever possible, avoiding any logo fabric already embedded in the ice to preserve its integrity. Measurements should be taken with a digital caliper for accuracy. The demonstrator noted: don't spend a lot on the caliper — a mid-range tool works fine.
Edging & Perimeter Techniques
Led by Eric Edhlund and TJ Weiland using an Olympia edging machine. The session covered the core technique of feathering the ice surface down to the dasher and removing perimeter buildup.
Ryan's standing rule: edge every day. Don't let it go. Once perimeter buildup accumulates, it compounds — what would have been a quick pass becomes a significant job. Consistency is the maintenance.
Trade Floor & Networking
Approximately 30 vendors were represented across the HealthPartners Fieldhouse turf space. Categories spanned HVAC and mechanical, resurfacing equipment (Olympia and Zamboni reps on site), arena equipment trade-in vendors, and specialty arena products. Platinum and Gold sponsors present included:
- N32 North
- Mendota Valley Amusement
- Becker Arena Products
- Arena Warehouse
- CTM Services / Olympia
- 332° Engineering Group
- Carlson & Stewart Refrigeration
- FinnlySport
- Gartner Refrigeration
- RTI — Reclamation Technologies USA
- inBYLT
- SCR
- R&R Specialties
- RJM Construction
- Master Electric
- Rink Systems
- Zamboni
- All-American Arena Products
Upcoming Conferences & Events
| Event | Location | Date / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fall Conference | Sugar Lake Lodge — Cohasset, MN | Sept. 7–11, 2026. Venue locked through 2030. Contact: Dean Mulso. |
| 2027 Spring Workshop | Veterans Memorial Arena — West Fargo | Contact Dean or John to establish location details. |
| 2028 Spring Workshop | Bloomington Ice Garden — Bloomington | Contact Dean or John to establish location details. |
| Hockey Day MN | Hastings | 2026 |
| Hockey Day MN | Brainerd | 2027 |
| NARCE | Milwaukee | Upcoming — see MIAMA communications for details. |
From the Floor
One thing stood out: most attendees gravitated toward the people they already knew — comfort groups, often visible by shared logo'd apparel. While our group moved as a unified front, we spent most of the time in lighter social mode.
The Super Rink is the pipeline through which most of the folks in MIAMA have traveled. As such, it is, as many of you have described, the very best rink on earth to get trained at a high level on a variety of subjects. If we go again...and we should...I'd like to see us show up with more intention. We should be the group that other attendees notice and want to know. We've earned every ounce of that credibility and should wear it proudly.
Workshop in Action
Share Your Takeaways
What did you take away from the day? Your notes — technical, personal, or otherwise — help build a fuller picture for the team. Responses go directly to the report author.