The former Skate Heaven and the current Skate Galaxy. Right here in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, not in a galaxy far far away. It is a large 35,000 plus square feet facility that is a backward L shape with huge canopy. All that on a single acre of land? Really packed big on a small lot. Source: all 3 Google Map.
All are of Skate Galaxy. I do not have any photographs of the old Skate Heaven. But they are all of Skate Galaxy.
Skate Heaven 12828 Jefferson Hwy, Baton Rouge, LA
Skate Galaxy 12828 Jefferson Hwy, Baton Rouge, LA (STILL OPERATIONAL)
Skate Galaxy 12828 Jefferson Hwy, Baton Rouge, LA (STILL OPERATIONAL)
Skate Heaven was located at 12828 Jefferson Highway, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. They folded sometimes in the decade of 2000s. Now it is Skate Galaxy which is running since around 2010. I do not know when. But that is what I know. A skate patron emailed me about this rink was Skate Heaven, a Christian skating rink but they no longer have that and they are now Skate Galaxy. A space themed roller rink.
What I read in Social Media (Yelp, 4 Square, etc) biggest complaint is the speed skaters. They have many rules but still speed skaters bullied little children and this can hurt reputation. I am surprised this rink is still operational after 10 years of being in the news for a huge riot and a shooting at the rink. In 2011, they had to shut doors and lock doors because they had the max capacity of people in the building (I believe that it was because of fire codes limits the number of people but 300 is way small for a 35,000 Square Feet building which should be able to reach 950 to 1150 people. I remember so because I worked at Sports-O-Rama Roller Rink in 1990 and I saw on the employee door entrance it says 950. I could be wrong but I remember that was the max allowed by the Fire Marshall. So, 300 is way too small. I understand why people protested and pushed their way in the doors (must be glass doors they broke into but the media did not say that).
The building was built in 1999 but it was sold on June 29, 2001.
Doug Doval in 2011 article owned the still operational Skate Galaxy rink. But looks like someone else owns it now. According to Dun & Bradstreet, it is Van Morella. But I am not sure.
If the building was sold on June 29, 2001 after two years, likely Skate Heaven went out of business in two years. This has been Skate Galaxy for this far long.
The Interior.
The Yelpers were saying it was a nice sized rink but felt they may have shrink in side to give more room for other things at the rink. I can see on the map and it is huge. They could have expanded more toward north wing of the place to have more space. And there are more space behind too. That big grass field if they desired.
Anyway, the inside.. it is space themed after all. They includes laser tag, rock climb, and playground along with the roller rink.
The ceiling you can see looks like it slant upward on one side.. that is because of the Salt-Box Roof design. To me, this means the rink is on the North side wing. Toward rear. So, when you come in under the canopy and you want skating, you go left which is entering north wing to skate. Everything else on the west wing.
I love their carpet. Very colorful and has that name, Skate Galaxy on their carpet. The first time I ever seen anything like this was in 1988 when I was working for a movie theater that they made their own carpet with their name. My boss at the time said the floor was a first of new kind. Wow, it goes back to 1988! It was a black light carpet in the foyer at the theaters.
The Exterior.
This is one of the most unusual architectural design for this rink. The building is sort of when looking north, it is backward "L" shaped with huge canopy from the center of the L shaped. It is like a Chevron shaped building but one is longer than the other but the longer side is narrower than the other. It is an entertainment center, not just a rink. It has a laser tag, rock climbing, play station for kids, and more.
The roof is more like a Salt-Box shape for both wings. shorter on the front side where the Canopy is but the Canopy itself is huge like it is grand. For cars to drive under and you can drop off people at the door. Parking lot is on both side. On Jefferson side and the other but if you want to park, I recommend you come in on Jefferson Highway side and you can easily find parking and walk in where the canopy is. I do not know which side is the rink, and everything is because I was never there.
It is White colored and off White-Gray color as well for the exterior walls. Very simple. Maybe some more color would look good. Tan or maybe a softer nicer Van Gogh Yellow would be on there. Spanish Yellow.... the popular colors of year 2000s exterior look for this place.
Landscape is very nice. Thick trees though. It is getting thick now. Not like it was back in 2000s.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Sky Blue Polyurethane coated Concrete with Tan center (inside circle).
Floor Layout: Standard.
Building Size: 35,061 SF. Built: 1999. Demolished: N/A.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Trusses Steel-Walled Warehouse - like Building.
Roof: Gable.
Acres: 1.0000 Acres.
Operated: (Overall)-- N/A.
Skate Heaven: 1999 to June 29, 2001
Skate Galaxy: June 29, 2001 to Present.
Reason for Closure:
Skate Heaven: N/A.
Skate Galaxy: Still operational.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos. Anyone knows or have photos, please let me know by emailing at [email protected]. Thank you.
Sources: Skate Galaxy website; WAFB - Owner speaks about the riot in 2011; Zillow;
Dun & Bradstreet - Skate Galaxy;
Date of issue: 09 May 2021.
For office use only: 8 p, 3 gm.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.
What I read in Social Media (Yelp, 4 Square, etc) biggest complaint is the speed skaters. They have many rules but still speed skaters bullied little children and this can hurt reputation. I am surprised this rink is still operational after 10 years of being in the news for a huge riot and a shooting at the rink. In 2011, they had to shut doors and lock doors because they had the max capacity of people in the building (I believe that it was because of fire codes limits the number of people but 300 is way small for a 35,000 Square Feet building which should be able to reach 950 to 1150 people. I remember so because I worked at Sports-O-Rama Roller Rink in 1990 and I saw on the employee door entrance it says 950. I could be wrong but I remember that was the max allowed by the Fire Marshall. So, 300 is way too small. I understand why people protested and pushed their way in the doors (must be glass doors they broke into but the media did not say that).
The building was built in 1999 but it was sold on June 29, 2001.
Doug Doval in 2011 article owned the still operational Skate Galaxy rink. But looks like someone else owns it now. According to Dun & Bradstreet, it is Van Morella. But I am not sure.
If the building was sold on June 29, 2001 after two years, likely Skate Heaven went out of business in two years. This has been Skate Galaxy for this far long.
The Interior.
The Yelpers were saying it was a nice sized rink but felt they may have shrink in side to give more room for other things at the rink. I can see on the map and it is huge. They could have expanded more toward north wing of the place to have more space. And there are more space behind too. That big grass field if they desired.
Anyway, the inside.. it is space themed after all. They includes laser tag, rock climb, and playground along with the roller rink.
The ceiling you can see looks like it slant upward on one side.. that is because of the Salt-Box Roof design. To me, this means the rink is on the North side wing. Toward rear. So, when you come in under the canopy and you want skating, you go left which is entering north wing to skate. Everything else on the west wing.
I love their carpet. Very colorful and has that name, Skate Galaxy on their carpet. The first time I ever seen anything like this was in 1988 when I was working for a movie theater that they made their own carpet with their name. My boss at the time said the floor was a first of new kind. Wow, it goes back to 1988! It was a black light carpet in the foyer at the theaters.
The Exterior.
This is one of the most unusual architectural design for this rink. The building is sort of when looking north, it is backward "L" shaped with huge canopy from the center of the L shaped. It is like a Chevron shaped building but one is longer than the other but the longer side is narrower than the other. It is an entertainment center, not just a rink. It has a laser tag, rock climbing, play station for kids, and more.
The roof is more like a Salt-Box shape for both wings. shorter on the front side where the Canopy is but the Canopy itself is huge like it is grand. For cars to drive under and you can drop off people at the door. Parking lot is on both side. On Jefferson side and the other but if you want to park, I recommend you come in on Jefferson Highway side and you can easily find parking and walk in where the canopy is. I do not know which side is the rink, and everything is because I was never there.
It is White colored and off White-Gray color as well for the exterior walls. Very simple. Maybe some more color would look good. Tan or maybe a softer nicer Van Gogh Yellow would be on there. Spanish Yellow.... the popular colors of year 2000s exterior look for this place.
Landscape is very nice. Thick trees though. It is getting thick now. Not like it was back in 2000s.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Sky Blue Polyurethane coated Concrete with Tan center (inside circle).
Floor Layout: Standard.
Building Size: 35,061 SF. Built: 1999. Demolished: N/A.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Trusses Steel-Walled Warehouse - like Building.
Roof: Gable.
Acres: 1.0000 Acres.
Operated: (Overall)-- N/A.
Skate Heaven: 1999 to June 29, 2001
Skate Galaxy: June 29, 2001 to Present.
Reason for Closure:
Skate Heaven: N/A.
Skate Galaxy: Still operational.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos. Anyone knows or have photos, please let me know by emailing at [email protected]. Thank you.
Sources: Skate Galaxy website; WAFB - Owner speaks about the riot in 2011; Zillow;
Dun & Bradstreet - Skate Galaxy;
Date of issue: 09 May 2021.
For office use only: 8 p, 3 gm.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.