Nicholas Family of Companies (NFOC) and its in-house sports and recreation division Spectate Group were joined by Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson on Thursday, May 21, to celebrate the significant construction progress at the Elk Grove Ice Arena, a new indoor ice rink on Meacham Road in Elk Grove Village, Ill., about 25 miles northwest of Chicago. To commemorate the start of interior work at the new arena, guests at the event were invited to sign a support column within the new 86,261-square-foot, two-rink complex, leaving their permanent mark on the facility that will serve the local hockey community. Scheduled to open in fall 2026, the Elk Grove Ice Arena will also feature a family-friendly restaurant with rooftop access called Hatty’s Club.
Construction began last August on the Elk Grove Ice Arena, which represents Nicholas Family of Companies’ third ice arena project in the Chicago area in just over one year, following its development of the Rosemont Ice Arena, a twin-sheet, 103,000-square-foot facility opening last fall in Rosemont; and its summer 2025 acquisition of Glacier Ice Arena, a two-rink, 63,000-square-foot facility in Vernon Hills. NFOC also owns a fourth rink, the Mount Prospect Ice Arena at Nicholas Sportsplex in Mount Prospect, and is currently developing the Westfield Ice Facility, a new multi-sheet indoor ice facility set to open in 2028 as part of the Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield, Ind., a northern suburb of Indianapolis.
“This is an exciting moment for this project as we celebrate our construction progress to date and the fact that we’re on track for our planned opening this fall,” said Nick Papanicholas Jr., chief executive officer and managing director of Nicholas Family of Companies. “Like many local hockey rinks, the Elk Grove Ice Arena is firmly rooted in community thanks to the support and collaboration we’ve had from the Village of Elk Grove throughout this process, and we’re proud to mark this milestone with Mayor Johnson as we move on to the interior buildout and begin ramping up for operations of a terrific new facility to meet demand from youth hockey programs in the region.”
At the event, Village of Elk Grove Mayor Craig Johnson praised the Nicholas & Associates team for their speed of work saying, "This [facility] is phenomenal. It's unique and was developed under the vision of all stakeholders involved — players, parents and spectators. We've worked with Nicholas on many projects, and the bottom line is, you've never let us down. And you're certainly not letting us down with this project."
As with the other ice venues owned and developed by NFOC, the Elk Grove Ice Arena will be operated by the company’s in-house sports and recreation division, Spectate Group, which plans to expand its staff to accommodate the new facility. “Our commitment extends well beyond building these facilities to operating them in a way that ensures they will be a true asset to the community they serve,” noted Papanicholas. “Having been very involved with hockey because of my kids, I definitely understand how much the management and programming of a rink can make or break the experience for athletes and their families. It’s why Spectate goes above and beyond in creating a great environment for the groups and individuals that use these facilities.”
Designed by architectural firm ARCON Associates, the new arena will have eight general team locker rooms and eight dedicated locker rooms for Chicago Mission teams. Other featured elements include: a viewing area with floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooking both rinks; a second-floor restaurant with private dining space and a rooftop terrace; an elevated ground-level grab-and-go food and beverage concept; and a physical therapy clinic. The arena also will have staff space and team amenities for the Chicago Mission hockey club.
Community benefits provided by the facility include prime after-school weekday evening and weekend morning ice time for youth hockey groups and ice skaters; post-10 p.m. nightly ice time for adult hockey leagues; and dedicated time for the Chicago Mission boys’ hockey league practices and games. Situated less than 10 miles west of O’Hare International Airport, the new arena is also well positioned to attract regional and national hockey tournaments.
The site was previously occupied by a Staples office supply store, which was demolished to make way for the new facility.
The Elk Grove Ice Arena is being built by Nicholas & Associates, Nicholas Family of Companies’ construction arm, which also built Rosemont Ice Arena and the Mount Prospect Ice Arena/Nicholas Sportsplex, and will serve as general contractor for the Westfield Ice Facility when the project breaks ground in 2027.
“We worked closely with the Village of Elk Grove Village to ensure redevelopment plans aligned with the village’s vision for this area, creating an amenity to serve local families as well as support the local business community,” said Papanicholas.
Fueled in part by a new wave of female fans, the National Hockey League is consistently reporting higher revenue YOY, increased ratings and record-setting attendance, with arenas filled to more than 96% capacity. Youth hockey continues to grow, reaching record participation levels in 2024-25. There were 395,525 registered youth players, including 6,705 new youth members, marking an all-time high. The sport’s growth is especially strong among girls, with more than 98,000 players under age 18 now registered to play, according to USA Hockey.
About The Nicholas Family of Companies: The Nicholas Family of Companies is a second-generation, family-owned and -operated organization headquartered in Mount Prospect, Ill., with additional offices in Indiana, Florida and Wisconsin. Companies within the family of companies that are involved in the new ice facility include Spectate Group and Nicholas & Associates, both of which are part of a distinctly different and deliberately personal Family of Companies. To learn more, visit nicholasfoc.com.
About Spectate Group: Spectate Group is a turnkey sports and recreation firm that strives to enhance and elevate the experience of athletes, fans and advertisers. Spectate not only operates arenas and recreation centers but also designs and builds them by leveraging Nicholas & Associates’ construction capabilities. From high-end onsite food and beverage offerings to NHL-regulation- size ice sheets, the company’s venues are designed to please the most discerning palates and athletes of all abilities. Spectate’s facilities include Nicholas Sportsplex, Rosemont Ice Arena, Glacier Ice Arena and Elk Grove Ice Arena (opening 2026). To learn more, visit spectategroup.com.
About Nicholas & Associates: Founded in 1978, Nicholas & Associates is a comprehensive construction management firm providing design/build and general contracting services for projects in the recreation, education, municipal and mixed-use sectors. The family-run firm transforms visions to build environments with a personal approach, making it “distinctly different and deliberately personal.” Nicholas & Associates has offices in the Chicago area, Tampa and Milwaukee and is expanding into Indiana, building a growing national portfolio of projects. To learn more, visit nicholasquality.com.
