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to fix all the damage and then repaint the entire building just to get it operational." Brooks admits that despite the changes, Crystal Fieldhouse did not undergo a complete facelift. No state-of-the-art ren- ovations were planned in the months lead- ing up to the July reopening. The priority was on getting a fully functional ice rink up and running for the community. "It's not going to look new because we didn't replace all the rubber flooring or all of that," Brooks said. "But we are getting it as clean as clean gets. We have upgraded lighting and we painted with bright colors. "It's going to be your typical rink. It's a little bit dirty, a little bit smelly. It's hockey." Inside the completed Crystal Fieldhouse sits two NHL-size rinks, 11 locker rooms, a concessions stand and a pro shop. The University of Michigan-Flint, Greater Flint Hockey Association, Elite Skating Academy and a handful of adult men's leagues will call the new arena home. Drop-in hockey, learn-to-skate programs and free skates will fill the schedule's open holes. "It's not about putting a whole ton of money into the biggest rink," said Brooks. "For Jim and everyone that has been involved with this project, it's really about bringing an ice rink back to the commu- nity. We want to make it a special place for everyone that plays and visits." Employee Mission In order to make Crystal Fieldhouse different, Brooks said the employees must be different. "Customer service is what we're going to focus on here," Brooks said. "We want people to want to use our facility." Constant construction updates on social media and the Crystal Fieldhouse and Greater Flint Hockey Association websites have provided information and excitement to the area. The next step, according to Brooks, is to make patrons feel welcome every time they step into the rink. "We want to put and keep that focus on community and family," said Brooks. "When someone comes into the rink, I hope they walk in and feel like it's their home." Crosstown Rivals There are three rinks within a 30-mile radius of Crystal Fieldhouse. Some of them offered teams home ice when the first 14-year-old rink shut down. But for Brooks and his staff, it's not about "steal- ing ice away." Instead, it's about helping the game grow as a whole. "I don't want to compete with the other rinks," Brooks said. "I want to work with these guys. I'd like to have a crosstown rivalry men's league to help grow the sport. Why can't we do something unique like that? Why don't we share some of the business to help grow the sport?" STARRINKS.COM SEPTEMBER.OCTOBER.2014 / 17 , Continued on page 18 "WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING TO BRING HOCKEY BACK. CRYSTAL FIELDHOUSE CAN'T BE JUST ANOTHER HOCKEY RINK FOR MY KIDS TO GO PLAY. IT'S GOT TO BE DIFFERENT — AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT DIFFERENT."