Skate-A-Palooza/The American Roller Skating & Sports Center 151 Reuben Bell Dr., Matamoras, PA. Top view with outlines of properties. Source: Weichert RE
Skate-A-Palooza/The American Roller Skating & Sports Center 151 Reuben Bell Dr., Matamoras, PA. Outline survey of the property. Source: Weichert RE
Skate-A-Palooza/The American Roller Skating & Sports Center 151 Reuben Bell Dr., Matamoras, PA. Taken in 2011. It was already abandoned. Source: Google.
Skate-A-Palooza/The American Roller Skating & Sports Center 151 Reuben Bell Dr., Matamoras, PA. Taken in 2014. The rest of the sign went missing. And the for sale sign was up at the time. Source: Google.
Skate-A-Palooza/The American Roller Skating & Sports Center 151 Reuben Bell Dr., Matamoras, PA. Source: Weichert RE
Skate-A-Palooza/The American Roller Skating & Sports Center 151 Reuben Bell Dr., Matamoras, PA. Source: Weichert RE
Skate-A-Palooza/The American Roller Skating & Sports Center 151 Reuben Bell Dr., Matamoras, PA. View of the rink from the balcony. It was a little difficult for people to view because of the lights hanging from the ceiling. A little off I have to say. Balcony rails.. could have been a bit stronger materials. Source: Weichert RE
Skate-A-Palooza/The American Roller Skating & Sports Center 151 Reuben Bell Dr., Matamoras, PA. The view of the balcony. If you were to sit way back, you would not be able to see the rink! Source: Weichert RE
Skate-A-Palooza/The American Roller Skating & Sports Center 151 Reuben Bell Dr., Matamoras, PA. The view of the balcony. If you were to sit way back, you would not be able to see the rink! Source: Weichert RE
Skate-A-Palooza/The American Roller Skating & Sports Center 151 Reuben Bell Dr., Matamoras, PA. The skating rink floor. It was painted Sky Blue Concrete. Source: Weichert RE
Skate-A-Palooza/The American Roller Skating & Sports Center 151 Reuben Bell Dr., Matamoras, PA. The skating rink floor. It was painted Sky Blue Concrete. Source: Weichert RE
Skate-A-Palooza/The American Roller Skating & Sports Center 151 Reuben Bell Dr., Matamoras, PA. The skating rink floor. It was painted Sky Blue Concrete. You can see the ramp with yellow stripes. The concrete floor was lower than the off-rink floor. Source: Weichert RE
Skateland 151 Reuben Bell Dr., Matamoras, PA
Big Wheel Skating Center 151 Reuben Bell Dr., Matamoras, PA
Gotta Roll Skate Center 151 Reuben Bell Dr., Matamoras, PA
The American Roller Skating & Sports Center 151 Reuben Bell Dr., Matamoras, PA
Skate-A-Palooza 151 Reuben Bell Dr., Matamoras, PA
Skate-A-Palooza Family Event Center 151 Reuben Bell Dr., Matamoras, PA (aka)
Big Wheel Skating Center 151 Reuben Bell Dr., Matamoras, PA
Gotta Roll Skate Center 151 Reuben Bell Dr., Matamoras, PA
The American Roller Skating & Sports Center 151 Reuben Bell Dr., Matamoras, PA
Skate-A-Palooza 151 Reuben Bell Dr., Matamoras, PA
Skate-A-Palooza Family Event Center 151 Reuben Bell Dr., Matamoras, PA (aka)
There were mainly FIVE, yes, FIVE rink names for this rink located at 151 Reuben Bell Drive, Matamoras, Pennsylvania. There were Skateland, Big Wheel Skating Center, Gotta Roll. Also were two other rinks-- Skate-A-Polooza then The American Roller Skating & Sports Center. The name Skate-A-Palooza Family Event Center. According to Rink Time, it said it was opened in 2001. But the building I see looked bit older. It appeared to be built in the 1970s. I went through like 4th or 5th website to find the date of construction completed. I thought of 70s or 80s. I was correct. It was built in 1987. I was thinking got to be different rink there. I was correct. FIVE names.
In my gut that I feel there was a rink or rinks operating from 1987 to 2001 with a different name. Unknown find so this profile is made until someone provided me a different name. The newspaper article said the building was operating as a rink since 1979 and likely it was of different name. It may have been Skateland, Big Wheel Skating Center, and Gotta Roll. Also it was Skate-A-Palooza.
The history with this property was quite a mess and complicated because they had so many brand name for this place. Five to Six rinks, plus an RV dealership at one point. The article I read did not stated dates for all different business operations at the same location throughout the years since 1979. So, that is quite difficult. Currently it is the 8th business at the same locaiton and that could be there for a long time-- UHaul storage and vehicle rentals.
For Gotta Roll roller skating rink, the owners and operators were: James Manza,
Alicia Lopez, and Israel Lopez.
Jay Machin owned and operated The American Roller Skating & Sports Center when he opened in March 2008. It did not last long because of Google Map showed in 2011 pretty much empty and half damaged sign on the wall and no signage on the post at all. Did that reincarnated rink folded before 2011? 2008 map is so poorly photographed and the sunset was just behind it making it difficult to capture image.
Machin had a vision of making the 20,000-square-foot facility into a sports complex completed with league competition in indoor sports including volleyball, roller hockey and basketball.
He also had cheerleading and gymnastic programs.
Was it too many different activities hurt the rink business? I noticed a pattern in my three years plus working on Dead-Rinks when rinks only have one rink and had too many different functions that can hurt scheduling. Many did put too many goals in one rink. This should function differently when it matters to build an entertainment or recreation facility with multi-functions. To be multifunction, best to advertise as sports center or entertainment center than naming rink or roller rink. You are aiming at the wrong demographic market to advertise as a rink with many non-skating activities.
Second of all, the location as I saw on the map was quite quiet area as it seemly remote. It is off of Interstate 84 and you have drive through back roads to the rink. The score was 1.7 for walkable out of 5 and as for driving, it was 2.1 out of 5. Both showed poorly. This made sense that having a skating rink at this location was poorly chosen. More populous area would have been better suited. This is why both rinks operated quite short period of time.
Likely those two factors are main reasons why many folded! Wrong location!
Citadel Defense was a gun shop. It was short lived also. Seemly the place is cursed with every one of them closed after they just opened. The RV dealership was the same way.
Finally sold on 30 May 2018 for 1 Million USD to UHaul and Self-Storage facility. The rink sat empty since Early 2010s according to Google Map so it was quite a while before it was sold after they went out of business.
One thing, the order of business is confusing which came first for the rink and when was the RV dealership for a short time. Then the last one closed and the gun shop and now the UHaul. So many businesses and I do not even have all of their dates. Anyone?
The Interior.
Likely for all rinks, the floor was Concrete painted in Sky Blue.
What more interesting was that you can walk up stairs to second floor to watch skaters skate! It appeared to be cozy little spot to do that.
Skateland:
Big Wheel Skating Center:
Gotta Roll Skate Center:
The American Roller Skating & Sports Center:
Skate-A-Palooza:
Skate-A-Palooza Family Event Center:
The Exterior.
Skateland:
Big Wheel Skating Center:
Gotta Roll Skate Center:
The American Roller Skating & Sports Center:
Skate-A-Palooza:
Skate-A-Palooza Family Event Center:
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Sky-Blue painted Poured Concrete. Floor Layout: Standard with Angled corners rectangular.
Building Size: 20,000 SF. Built: 1987. Renovations: Likely several times.
Demolished: Still standing.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Trusses Cinderblocks - Walled Warehouse - like Building.
Roof: Flat.
Acres: 3.0500 AC.
Organ: None.
Operated: (Overall)-- 1979
Skateland: N/A.
Big Wheel Skating Center: N/A.
Gotta Roll Skate Center: N/A.
RV Dealership: N/A.
The American Roller Skating & Sports Center: March 2008 to 2009/2010.
Skate-A-Palooza: 2009/2010 to c. 2011.
Skate-A-Palooza Family Event Center: 2001 to c. 2011
Citadel Defense: 2011 to N/A.
Empty/Abandoned: early 2010s to 2018.
(UHaul): 2018 to Present.
Reason for Closure: N/A.
Skateland: N/A.
Big Wheel Skating Center: N/A.
Gotta Roll Skate Center: N/A.
RV Dealership: N/A.
The American Roller Skating & Sports Center: N/A.
Skate-A-Palooza: N/A.
Skate-A-Palooza Family Event Center: N/A.
Citadel Defense: N/A.
Empty/Abandoned: ---
(UHaul): N/A.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos/articles. Anyone knows or have photos, please let me know by emailing at [email protected]. Thank you. You can also use this form.
Sources:
Trulia - records.
Realtor - records.
RE/Max - records.
Rink Time - Skate-A-Palooza Family Event Center.
Weichert RE - records.
Pocono Record - Online Newspaper article. By Stephen Sacco, 02 March 2, 2008 (USA Today has exact same copy and paste).
Record Online - (Exact same copy and paste as Pocono Record) Stephen Sacco, 28 February 2008.
Biz Standing - Gotta Roll Skate Center rink.
Wrestling Figs - WWE had a fight match at the rink, Skate-A-Polooza.
Worth to visit:
None. It is currently a storage facility.
Date of issue: 03 March 2022.
For office use only: 12.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.
In my gut that I feel there was a rink or rinks operating from 1987 to 2001 with a different name. Unknown find so this profile is made until someone provided me a different name. The newspaper article said the building was operating as a rink since 1979 and likely it was of different name. It may have been Skateland, Big Wheel Skating Center, and Gotta Roll. Also it was Skate-A-Palooza.
The history with this property was quite a mess and complicated because they had so many brand name for this place. Five to Six rinks, plus an RV dealership at one point. The article I read did not stated dates for all different business operations at the same location throughout the years since 1979. So, that is quite difficult. Currently it is the 8th business at the same locaiton and that could be there for a long time-- UHaul storage and vehicle rentals.
For Gotta Roll roller skating rink, the owners and operators were: James Manza,
Alicia Lopez, and Israel Lopez.
Jay Machin owned and operated The American Roller Skating & Sports Center when he opened in March 2008. It did not last long because of Google Map showed in 2011 pretty much empty and half damaged sign on the wall and no signage on the post at all. Did that reincarnated rink folded before 2011? 2008 map is so poorly photographed and the sunset was just behind it making it difficult to capture image.
Machin had a vision of making the 20,000-square-foot facility into a sports complex completed with league competition in indoor sports including volleyball, roller hockey and basketball.
He also had cheerleading and gymnastic programs.
Was it too many different activities hurt the rink business? I noticed a pattern in my three years plus working on Dead-Rinks when rinks only have one rink and had too many different functions that can hurt scheduling. Many did put too many goals in one rink. This should function differently when it matters to build an entertainment or recreation facility with multi-functions. To be multifunction, best to advertise as sports center or entertainment center than naming rink or roller rink. You are aiming at the wrong demographic market to advertise as a rink with many non-skating activities.
Second of all, the location as I saw on the map was quite quiet area as it seemly remote. It is off of Interstate 84 and you have drive through back roads to the rink. The score was 1.7 for walkable out of 5 and as for driving, it was 2.1 out of 5. Both showed poorly. This made sense that having a skating rink at this location was poorly chosen. More populous area would have been better suited. This is why both rinks operated quite short period of time.
Likely those two factors are main reasons why many folded! Wrong location!
Citadel Defense was a gun shop. It was short lived also. Seemly the place is cursed with every one of them closed after they just opened. The RV dealership was the same way.
Finally sold on 30 May 2018 for 1 Million USD to UHaul and Self-Storage facility. The rink sat empty since Early 2010s according to Google Map so it was quite a while before it was sold after they went out of business.
One thing, the order of business is confusing which came first for the rink and when was the RV dealership for a short time. Then the last one closed and the gun shop and now the UHaul. So many businesses and I do not even have all of their dates. Anyone?
The Interior.
Likely for all rinks, the floor was Concrete painted in Sky Blue.
What more interesting was that you can walk up stairs to second floor to watch skaters skate! It appeared to be cozy little spot to do that.
Skateland:
Big Wheel Skating Center:
Gotta Roll Skate Center:
The American Roller Skating & Sports Center:
Skate-A-Palooza:
Skate-A-Palooza Family Event Center:
The Exterior.
Skateland:
Big Wheel Skating Center:
Gotta Roll Skate Center:
The American Roller Skating & Sports Center:
Skate-A-Palooza:
Skate-A-Palooza Family Event Center:
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Sky-Blue painted Poured Concrete. Floor Layout: Standard with Angled corners rectangular.
Building Size: 20,000 SF. Built: 1987. Renovations: Likely several times.
Demolished: Still standing.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Trusses Cinderblocks - Walled Warehouse - like Building.
Roof: Flat.
Acres: 3.0500 AC.
Organ: None.
Operated: (Overall)-- 1979
Skateland: N/A.
Big Wheel Skating Center: N/A.
Gotta Roll Skate Center: N/A.
RV Dealership: N/A.
The American Roller Skating & Sports Center: March 2008 to 2009/2010.
Skate-A-Palooza: 2009/2010 to c. 2011.
Skate-A-Palooza Family Event Center: 2001 to c. 2011
Citadel Defense: 2011 to N/A.
Empty/Abandoned: early 2010s to 2018.
(UHaul): 2018 to Present.
Reason for Closure: N/A.
Skateland: N/A.
Big Wheel Skating Center: N/A.
Gotta Roll Skate Center: N/A.
RV Dealership: N/A.
The American Roller Skating & Sports Center: N/A.
Skate-A-Palooza: N/A.
Skate-A-Palooza Family Event Center: N/A.
Citadel Defense: N/A.
Empty/Abandoned: ---
(UHaul): N/A.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos/articles. Anyone knows or have photos, please let me know by emailing at [email protected]. Thank you. You can also use this form.
Sources:
Trulia - records.
Realtor - records.
RE/Max - records.
Rink Time - Skate-A-Palooza Family Event Center.
Weichert RE - records.
Pocono Record - Online Newspaper article. By Stephen Sacco, 02 March 2, 2008 (USA Today has exact same copy and paste).
Record Online - (Exact same copy and paste as Pocono Record) Stephen Sacco, 28 February 2008.
Biz Standing - Gotta Roll Skate Center rink.
Wrestling Figs - WWE had a fight match at the rink, Skate-A-Polooza.
Worth to visit:
None. It is currently a storage facility.
Date of issue: 03 March 2022.
For office use only: 12.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.