Courtesy of Skate Zone (on FB).
Courtesy of Skate Zone (FB). Noticed the 1950s look. Smaller canopy for the main door back then. Look at the wordings and compare to the colored version below. Huge differences. This was truly original look with the words, "The Arena.." on the wall. the frontage was bigger because of no new addition of 5,000 SF yet.
Top and bottom above courtesy of Lincoln-Journal Star. Top showed it was in original state since 1950s. Final generation of the structure that they added more space in later years. 5000 Square Feet more in the fort part but the admission was moved from West side to East Side as you can see toward back of the rink.
All three Courtesy of Skate Zone. Old admission door added more canopy than the original as they slowly gets bigger. Later on, they moved to the other side. The rink had old globe lights above the rink floor as it had churchy cylinder light pendents over the rest areas next to the rink. Noticed their murals were abstract art work. Wow, hardly video games! All pinball machine games. Usually since 1950s, coin operated pinball games were around but video games since 1972 on. Pong by Atari was the world's first video game. Did you have one at home? I sure did! What was your favorite game? Mine would be Bubble Bobble! Those above were taken around 1960s or 1970s.
Courtesy of Skate Zone Facebook. Ah, the good old late 1970s/80s. This was 2nd generation look. Baby Pink and White half-walls constracting with standard stained wood panels. Remma they were popular even in your old home? I did. We even had them at home and I even stained it darker to make it look new again. My mom loved it! Really! I am smart to change the look! It works!
Mine, the girl in pink shirt at the snack bar looked so happy! Happy you got something you want is coming? Or you wanted to smile like you are on Candid Camera!? Haha.
Mine, the girl in pink shirt at the snack bar looked so happy! Happy you got something you want is coming? Or you wanted to smile like you are on Candid Camera!? Haha.
All courtesy of Skate Zone. See how evolution came from the beginning to the end. It gotten nicer. Right?
YouTube courtesy by Hamradio Ham (username). This was the final session he attended and taped it. Good job!
Courtesy of Channel 8 KLKN-TV.
Arena Skate Center 300 N 48th St, Lincoln, NE
Arena Skate World 300 N 48th St, Lincoln, NE
Holiday North 300 N 48th St, Lincoln, NE (Skate Zone)
Holiday Skate World 300 48th St. N., Lincoln, NE
Skate Zone 300 N 48th St., Lincoln, NE
Arena Skate World 300 N 48th St, Lincoln, NE
Holiday North 300 N 48th St, Lincoln, NE (Skate Zone)
Holiday Skate World 300 48th St. N., Lincoln, NE
Skate Zone 300 N 48th St., Lincoln, NE
This location had 5 different names throughout the years. Starting with Arena Skate World. Eventually it became Holiday North and then Holiday Skate World. Finally it became Skate Zone before it went out of business after sold to a developer who torn it down and built a new plaza.
In 1953, it was Arena Skate World and later, Arena Skate Center. It was housed in an Arched-Curve (D-Roof) building that ran from 1954 to more recent times. It as demolished in 2017. It was around pretty long time.
First it was Arena Skate world followed by Arena Skate Center but in 1979, Seth and Betty Scott sold part of the business to another couple, Randy & Kay Hamilton who also owned another Holiday skating rink in the state called, Holiday Skate World & Family Fun Center. That was on 710 Hill St, Lincoln, NE which was in another part of the town. Remember that Lincoln, Nebraska is the 70th largest city in the country as many of you might think it is all countryside with entire state of farming. Not true. Apparently the Hamiltons had naming rights and named it that way. But in 1996, the Hamiltons and the Scotts sold the rink to the Scotts' daughter, Shirley and Shirley's husband, Dick Hartsock. It was running in the family but the rink closed in 2017.
Like I said the Arched-Curved Roof building, it was that look but I do not know when they added the Gable building that was added and moved the admission doors and booth to the west side of the building instead of North. They actually did expanded.
At one time, they were ahead of time. A pioneer with the trampolines but they were outdoors. They had a dozen trampolines. Today, there are many trampolines fun centers and they are all indoors.
I had no idea why they removed it. Insurance? Possible was the cause as insurance was rising through the years because of the injuries people might have.
The rink finally closed because of it was getting too expensive and too big of a rink with few people. Besides that, investors wanted to buy the property and turn into something else.
The Interior.
First few rinks- photos are unknown but as for Skate Zone, it was very colorful especially the mural on the end wall toward rear. They were like a sunburst or starburst stain-glass like you would see in a Roman Catholic Church stain-glass window like. It even had an eye-seeing triangle in center of the faux stain-glass mural full of neon/blacklight.
Before Skate Zone, they had a lot of once popular wood paneling all over the walls.
The floor (more recent times) had White Poured Concrete Polyurethane coated.
The Exterior.
Originally it had Arched-Curved building and it was still there when they added a Gable-Roof building that connected. It was supposed to hide that arch. Having that design it was bit difficult when they built it. It was not the same if you were to built an Intersecting/Overlaid Hip. To help understand what this terminology means. It means if you look at the top view section of say, a blue print, you would see a cross or an X shaped or a T shaped blueprint, you would see both Gables connecting. That means intersecting or intersection. Having an Arched with a Gable would be bit more complicated for the builders to built this section to become intersecting. Whilst it was done, it worked to have it joined. But the appearance was bit odd though. The new section as Gabled while old section an Arched-Curved section. No kidding.
The addition was built in 1961. Adding 5,000 Square Feet.
It worked for them as they needed to expand inside of that rink. It was the last roller rink in the city where there are headquarters and museum of roller skating! Both RSAI (Roller Skating Association International) and the Roller Skating Museum are housed there. Skaters wanted to skate when in town visiting those two great institutions and they now can't since 2017! I would be not able to skate in Linoln when I want to drive from Syracuse (NY) to Las Vegas (NV) for the conference in 2021 and beyond. Lincoln is on the way between my home and Vegas. Oh well. Skate Zone would have been one of awesome rinks to go to along with Skate Daze in Omaha. Now I can't. One can dream.. Oh well.
On side note, I see that they had a Deaf event annually or more than once per year. That is awesome they had such events for Deaf people. I cannot believe I missed my chance going to this one! Would have loved to meet Deaf people there. I did not see any pictures of them. Maybe one picture but that was it.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A Floor: White Poured Concrete Polyurethane coated. Floor Layout: Standard.
Building Size: Original- 20,000 SF, addition is 5,000, overall was 25,000 SF.
Built: Original Arched-Curve in 1954, Addition likely in 1979.
Demolished: 2019
Type of Building: Free Span Steel Arched-Curved and Gable Warehouse and House-like Building. Arched-Curved section is oldest with Cinder-blocks while Gable roofed building with Bricks.
Roof: Arched-Cruved and later added Gable.
Acres: N/A
Operated:
Arena Skate Center: May 24, 1954 - 1975
Arena Skate World: 1976 - 1979
Holiday North: 1979 - 1996
Holiday Skate World: 1979 - 1996
Skate Zone: 1996 - Sunday, April 30, 2017
Reason for Closure:
Arena Skate Center: Name changed for a reason I do not know.
Arena Skate World: Sold half interests to the Hamiltons and they renamed it. (opinion)
Holiday North: Likely the Scotts wanted to retire. (opinion)
Holiday Skate World: Likely the Scotts wanted to retire. (opinion)
Skate Zone: "[T]oo big and too expensive for just a skating rink." [Hartsock] also said at the time that investors had been interested in the site for years.
Wanted: Information regarding old pictures of interior! Exact dates!
Sources: Facebook, Lincoln-Journal Star (closing), Lincoln-Journal Star (history),
Yelp, 10 11 Now, Lincoln-Journal Star (new development now)
© 2019-2020 Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved.
In 1953, it was Arena Skate World and later, Arena Skate Center. It was housed in an Arched-Curve (D-Roof) building that ran from 1954 to more recent times. It as demolished in 2017. It was around pretty long time.
First it was Arena Skate world followed by Arena Skate Center but in 1979, Seth and Betty Scott sold part of the business to another couple, Randy & Kay Hamilton who also owned another Holiday skating rink in the state called, Holiday Skate World & Family Fun Center. That was on 710 Hill St, Lincoln, NE which was in another part of the town. Remember that Lincoln, Nebraska is the 70th largest city in the country as many of you might think it is all countryside with entire state of farming. Not true. Apparently the Hamiltons had naming rights and named it that way. But in 1996, the Hamiltons and the Scotts sold the rink to the Scotts' daughter, Shirley and Shirley's husband, Dick Hartsock. It was running in the family but the rink closed in 2017.
Like I said the Arched-Curved Roof building, it was that look but I do not know when they added the Gable building that was added and moved the admission doors and booth to the west side of the building instead of North. They actually did expanded.
At one time, they were ahead of time. A pioneer with the trampolines but they were outdoors. They had a dozen trampolines. Today, there are many trampolines fun centers and they are all indoors.
I had no idea why they removed it. Insurance? Possible was the cause as insurance was rising through the years because of the injuries people might have.
The rink finally closed because of it was getting too expensive and too big of a rink with few people. Besides that, investors wanted to buy the property and turn into something else.
The Interior.
First few rinks- photos are unknown but as for Skate Zone, it was very colorful especially the mural on the end wall toward rear. They were like a sunburst or starburst stain-glass like you would see in a Roman Catholic Church stain-glass window like. It even had an eye-seeing triangle in center of the faux stain-glass mural full of neon/blacklight.
Before Skate Zone, they had a lot of once popular wood paneling all over the walls.
The floor (more recent times) had White Poured Concrete Polyurethane coated.
The Exterior.
Originally it had Arched-Curved building and it was still there when they added a Gable-Roof building that connected. It was supposed to hide that arch. Having that design it was bit difficult when they built it. It was not the same if you were to built an Intersecting/Overlaid Hip. To help understand what this terminology means. It means if you look at the top view section of say, a blue print, you would see a cross or an X shaped or a T shaped blueprint, you would see both Gables connecting. That means intersecting or intersection. Having an Arched with a Gable would be bit more complicated for the builders to built this section to become intersecting. Whilst it was done, it worked to have it joined. But the appearance was bit odd though. The new section as Gabled while old section an Arched-Curved section. No kidding.
The addition was built in 1961. Adding 5,000 Square Feet.
It worked for them as they needed to expand inside of that rink. It was the last roller rink in the city where there are headquarters and museum of roller skating! Both RSAI (Roller Skating Association International) and the Roller Skating Museum are housed there. Skaters wanted to skate when in town visiting those two great institutions and they now can't since 2017! I would be not able to skate in Linoln when I want to drive from Syracuse (NY) to Las Vegas (NV) for the conference in 2021 and beyond. Lincoln is on the way between my home and Vegas. Oh well. Skate Zone would have been one of awesome rinks to go to along with Skate Daze in Omaha. Now I can't. One can dream.. Oh well.
On side note, I see that they had a Deaf event annually or more than once per year. That is awesome they had such events for Deaf people. I cannot believe I missed my chance going to this one! Would have loved to meet Deaf people there. I did not see any pictures of them. Maybe one picture but that was it.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A Floor: White Poured Concrete Polyurethane coated. Floor Layout: Standard.
Building Size: Original- 20,000 SF, addition is 5,000, overall was 25,000 SF.
Built: Original Arched-Curve in 1954, Addition likely in 1979.
Demolished: 2019
Type of Building: Free Span Steel Arched-Curved and Gable Warehouse and House-like Building. Arched-Curved section is oldest with Cinder-blocks while Gable roofed building with Bricks.
Roof: Arched-Cruved and later added Gable.
Acres: N/A
Operated:
Arena Skate Center: May 24, 1954 - 1975
Arena Skate World: 1976 - 1979
Holiday North: 1979 - 1996
Holiday Skate World: 1979 - 1996
Skate Zone: 1996 - Sunday, April 30, 2017
Reason for Closure:
Arena Skate Center: Name changed for a reason I do not know.
Arena Skate World: Sold half interests to the Hamiltons and they renamed it. (opinion)
Holiday North: Likely the Scotts wanted to retire. (opinion)
Holiday Skate World: Likely the Scotts wanted to retire. (opinion)
Skate Zone: "[T]oo big and too expensive for just a skating rink." [Hartsock] also said at the time that investors had been interested in the site for years.
Wanted: Information regarding old pictures of interior! Exact dates!
Sources: Facebook, Lincoln-Journal Star (closing), Lincoln-Journal Star (history),
Yelp, 10 11 Now, Lincoln-Journal Star (new development now)
© 2019-2020 Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved.