When the stunningly opulent (some even call it gaudy) new Ralph Engelstad Arena opened in 2001 just north of the University of North Dakota campus, the $100 million chrome, glass and marble coliseum was praised by most, despite the fact that The Ralph replaced one of the great rinks in college hockey.
The first Ralph Engelstad Arena, originally called the UND Winter Sports Center, was a 6,000-seat gem, with green and white everywhere, a pressbox close to the ice, bright fluorescent lighting and fantastic sight lines throughout. It opened in 1972 at a cost of $2 million and was one of the true palaces of the sport for that era.