Over the last few months, we’ve seen the Pegula Ice Arena come to life across the street from the Bryce Jordan Center. What once was once a parking lot has turned into a hockey arena, and construction is in full swing to be ready for this fall.

The $90 million ice arena is set to open on October 11 during Homecoming weekend. Given the opportunity to tour the inside of the state-of-the-art facility with Project Manager Steve Laurila of Mortenson Construction, I was able to snap a few photos of the interior.

Shown above, Steve Laurila shows the main public entrance to Pegula Ice Arena. Further down the concourse, work is being done to install gypsum ceiling tiles.

Students: the steep section on the right will be your new home, as bleacher seating will be installed to accommodate the student section. The steepness of the section, according to Laurila, enables a larger seating capacity.

Above is the concourse level. Don’t worry, the walls will not remain lavender.

Shown above: a look from the club level. The large windows to the right of the photo offer a view of the BJC, but will have the ability to be completely covered by a blackout curtain for future figure skating shows.

Shown above is a glance at the community ice rink on the West side of the arena. I can’t help but think of this scene from Parks and Recreation when I imagine this completed rink, but instead of political campaigns, junior hockey matches and leisurely ice skating will be the primary purpose of this area.

And finally, the photo above captures the view of the opposing team as they first get their skates on the ice. Of course, the stands will most likely be filled to give them a warm, Penn State welcome.

It’s certainly an exciting time to be a Penn State sports fan!