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18 / NOVEMBER.DECEMBER.2017 USICERINKS.COM "It's kind of neat when you see people that you've coached in this rink go on to achieve at the college and the professional level," adds Renfroe. "Just to have someone say, 'Oh, I've been there,' from all over the country, or all over the world. 'I know that place,' you know, that's kind of a neat feeling also." Athletes worldwide come to compete at the center. For instance, staff retrofitted one of the rinks for sled hockey for the 2008 International Paralympic Sled Hockey Championships. They had competitors from about 10 countries there for the better part of a few weeks. As a national and international presence, the New England Sports Center is naturally an economic boon to the city. For a town of nearly 40,000, Marlborough has one of the state's largest concentrations of hotels. The arena fills rooms. It brings patrons to local restaurants. Mayor Arthur Vigeant is grateful. He makes a point to stop by the arena as much as possible. He passes out city- themed hockey pucks—which he created with Tuttle—to traveling youth teams in restaurants. He even has some personal experience on the ice himself. "We did a formal for the city of Marlborough, and they actually stuck me on skates down there one day," Vigeant says. "But I've never been a big hockey player, so they had to do a little convincing to get me on the skates. And I did OK and didn't fall too much." Going Undercover Behind the constant motion, the center operates like a well-oiled PHOTOS: NEW ENGLAND SPORTS CENTER 1994 YEAR OPENED RINK BREAKDOWN 8 200' x 85' NHL-SIZE RINKS 2 STUDIO-SIZE RINKS SEATING CAPACITY MAIN RINK (300-1,200 OTHER RINKS) 1,800 TENANTS: New England Senior League, Fall Prep League, Middle School League, Junior Varsity League, Minuteman Flames/ Sparks, Boston Junior Bruins, Skating Club of Boston Metrowest, International Skating Institute, Haydenettes, Anna Maria College SKATING/HOCKEY PROGRAMS: Skating Club of Boston Metrowest, International Skating Institute, public skating, stick time, Minuteman Flames Youth Hockey beginner program CONCRETE TYPE OF RINK FLOOR 306,830 SQUARE FEET Featured Rink New England Sports Center | | Marlborough, Massachusetts LIGHTING IN ARENA LED and Fluorescent SPECIAL FEATURES: , Pro-shop, training/fitness center, two restaurants, a snack bar, an arcade, climate-controlled family viewing area, a skylight down the center of the building REFRIGERATION SYSTEM: Indirect refrigeration system (Ammonia and glycol) LOCKER ROOMS $175-294 ICE RESURFACER: 10 ELECTRIC ICE RESURFACERS FUN FACT: "In the rinks, we can play up to 120 games a day." – WES TUTTLE HOURLY RATE ($56: STUDIO RINKS)