hile the growth of ice sports
across the U.S. is well-doc-
umented, few would imag-
ine they would find such a
thriving hub in the Deep South.
But given the passionate hockey fan-
bases and the overall positive impact of
the state-of-the-art Akins Ford Arena in
Athens, perhaps Georgia should be on all
of our minds.
Akins Ford Arena, which opened in
2024, has already contributed mightily
to the social and economic landscape of
Athens, Georgia's sixth-largest city locat-
ed roughly 70 miles Northeast of Atlanta.
The 190,000 square-foot arena, situated
between Foundry and Hickory Streets
in downtown Athens, is the most recent
addition to the campus of the Athens-
Clarke County-owned Classic Center, a
destination complex for conventions, con-
ferences, meetings and special events.
From hockey to figure skating to major
16 / JULY.AUGUST.2026 USICERINKS.COM
Featured Rink
Akins Ford Arena | | Athens, GA
Akins Ford Arena
hits the sweet spot
in downtown Athens
by STEVE MANN
W
GEORGIA
PEACH
