WALTHAM, Mass. -- Bentley University has opened the doors to a new, state-of-the-art multipurpose arena that will host the university's NCAA Division I hockey team and prominent university events such as career fairs, high-profile speakers, alumni events and concerts. The 76,000 square foot facility is designed by Architectural Resources Cambridge and built by Suffolk Construction.

"Having just completed our centennial year, this arena sets the stage for Bentley's continued success into the next 100 years," said Bentley President Gloria Cordes Larson. "The new Bentley Arena is a sustainable investment in the future of Bentley, providing a gathering place to welcome the entire Bentley community and beyond for many years to come and enhancing the incredible student experience that is the hallmark of a Bentley education."

The arena, located at 400 Beaver Street on Bentley's lower campus, has a seating capacity of 2,000 seats for hockey and up to 3,400 for other community events. The arena uses the latest in green technology, anticipated to cut utility costs in half compared to other ice arenas of its size.

Standout features of the arena include:

• 1,400 rooftop solar panels developed by Rivermoor Energy that will generate 40 percent of the building's electricity needs.
• Innovative technology that captures heat generated from creating the rink's ice to heat water throughout the building.
• An in-house media control room, designed with the help of John Mitchell, a Bentley alumnus and TD Garden control room director since 1995, that will be operated by Bentley students in partnership with faculty.
• Students' use of the arena as a "living lab" where they will be able to analyze the building's energy data, complete marketing projects, create sales plans for season tickets, and do other academic projects.

"The arena will enhance student life at Bentley and give the entire community a renewed sense of school pride in an exciting new space," said Dean of Students and Vice President of Student Affairs J. Andrew Shepardson. "The new Bentley Arena will be far more than a sports venue, providing our students with academic opportunities and our students, alumni, faculty, staff and friends with a 21st century state-of-the-art home that demonstrates Bentley's rise as one of the nation's top business schools."

"We envision this building providing students with countless hands-on learning opportunities," said Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences Wiley Davi. "Think of a marketing student analyzing customer data, a natural and applied sciences student gathering energy usage information, or a math student crunching player stats at a game. The arena is meant to be a live learning laboratory that consistently adds to our students' academic experience in addition to the social one."

SOURCE Bentley University