National Ice Center, Nottingham

The National Ice Centre is located close to the historic Lace Market area. The facility neighbors the Capital FM Arena Nottingham. The site has hosted an ice arena since 1939, but the old building was showing its age: hence its nickname, "The Barn". Several buildings were demolished to make way for the new arena, including an Art Deco warehouse on the opposite side of Barker Gate, and bodies had to be exhumed from a nineteenth century graveyard found under the car park.

The current building was first announced in September 1995 at an estimated cost of £13 million - part of which was to come from National Lottery funds. The plans were unveiled in October 1996, by which time the British Olympic Association had got behind the proposal. The first public skating session took place in April 2000. The final cost of the project was around £40m, 10% of which came from the lottery - one of the highest grants awarded. The arena is home to the Nottingham Panthers ice hockey team. The square in front of the building was renamed 'Bolero Square' to honor their great achievements. There are two ice pads. The capacity of the main arena is 10,000.