[5] The closing of the Auditorium would leave Omaha without a mid-sized indoor venue,[5] and would also have a major impact on the Mavericks ice hockey team.

While the team played its home games at the city's main indoor venue, then known as CenturyLink Center Omaha, it regularly practiced at the Auditorium.

[6] The university then began planning for a new arena, selecting a site at the Aksarben Village development, which has become integrated with the UNO campus in recent years.

UNO's financial projections assumed that the arena would host only four non-university events per year.

It also has two separate ice sheets—one in the main arena for games, and a second that serves as a dedicated practice facility for the Mavericks.