Ralson Arena was built as a multi rink and multi use facility that opened in 2012. Before that, the Lancers spent time in the Civic Auditorium (a dump) and the MidAmerica Center in... Council Bluffs, IA.
This arena is VERY VERY nice. It has more video screens (14) than any other arena its size. It features an Olympic size practice rink (often used as well for beer league, youth hockey, and the Midget AAA team the Junior Lancers), an NHL size standard rink (also shared by a pro Arena Football team, the Omaha Beef (not worth free tickets to see) and the temporary home of the UNO Maverick basketball team).
FACILITY GRADE: A+
AMENITIES and FOOD
It also has a full size sports apparel store that has a glass wall overlooking the practice rink. The prices aren't bad. They also have a bank of TVs for any games that may be on. It is well stocked with Nebraska gear, College football and basketball gear, and NHL hockey apparel. Oddly enough, no college hockey gear or even Lancer gear!
There are a bunch of built in restaurants, kiosks galore, and a bar. The restaurants feature: Maria's Mexican Restaurant, Dominoes Pizza, Famous Daves, Chik-Fil-A*, Omaha Steak Restaurant*, and one other that escapes my memory.
Maria's features the "Famous" flour tortilla taco: I've had one. It's the blandest taco I've ever eaten. The shell tastes like Fried Elmo's Glue.
Both the Omaha Steak Restaurant is more of an endorsement than a restaurant. You cannot buy steaks. It features hot dogs, corn dogs, and mediocre steak burgers.
Chik-Fil-A isn't the full restaurant either. You can get their famous chicken sandwich though.
Lastly, dear Lord, can we PLEASE get Coke products? Seriously!!!!!
GRADE: A (ok, it's really good even if I'm biased. The variety is very impressive)
ICE Quality
Ok, as an impartial observer the ice seems pretty good. They use one zamboni, though I'm fairly certain they have more than one zamboni. The Zamboni driver is even a cool guy.
The boards are good.
GRADE: A
ENTERTAINMENT
They use every video board and have plenty of entertainment. Sadly, they often come across as a bit too eager and too amateur. There have been several occasions where they turned the music and sound up so loud that it blew a speaker or two! One time, it shorted out the system or blew the system in such a way that there was no sound at all for over 10 minutes of hockey and half the intermission!
In the first intermission, they usually have some on ice contest like a relay race or mini mites. They also have jumbotron games. The MC is pretty good at this and it is pretty well done.
In between the second and third period, they have the "hardest shot" competition which is nothing more than an audience member shooting a puck into an open net for a hat and a tshirt and a chuck a puck competition. This Chuck a puck competition is very well done even if it is a bit difficult to win (compared to the one in Des Moines where you won if you were closest. In Ralston, you have to be on the target or you win nothing). The grand prize with a black puck is $2500 but if your puck is orange and lands closest to the center you win a year's trash service! No good if you are visiting but as a resident, I've enjoyed it!
The video production seems to be very good.
The Music selection isn't very good. They feature more than enough non-sport songs, rap, and country. They also have played "Baby Got Back" by Sir Mixalot. They typically put the most obese woman who gets up and dances on the jumbotron. Fun.
We also have, in my opinion, the worst opening video sequence in the USHL (that has one and I've witnessed). It's over the top rap (Mama said knock you out) with a gaudy homage to The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Then it has a screen saver thing of various Nebraska sites painted red with the Lancer logo on it. The only salvation is this live action sequence that shows a grizzled, bearded man (a true bada@@ by the looks of him) crafting his own sword and getting armored up in the gear of a Knight. It's truly cool.
GRADE: B-
ATMOSPHERE
This place really reminds you of a cross between the high school hockey team and Mariucci. Half the crowd sits on their hands until prompted and the other have blows vuvuzelas or talks about the neighbors or workmembers were up to this last week.
This is livened up a bit by section 101, which features a trip back to the year 2000. When we score a goal, they raise their glasses and do the whole ziggy zaggy Man Show nonsense.
Meanwhile in Section 104 you have the "Lancer in the House" people who hold up a banner that says exactly that in the beginning of the third period. They're not bad other than the fact that they do not know much about hockey, they're rude to newcomers to that section, and they get really cranky if you A: sit in a seat other than the one the ticket says even if no one is sitting there and B: they don't play "Baby Got Back"
And Section 105 features the "Super Fan" who wears orange and black striped overalls and is overall pretty cool even if he is a jumbotron hog.
Our cheer after a goal is "We want another one just like the other one. We..want..2/3/etc." It's lame, but it is high school.
There's no razzing of other teams' fans unless those fans are rude or you root for the Lincoln Stars.
GRADE: C+
OVERALL GRADE: A-
