With the only Division I hockey team in the state, the University of North Dakota boasts a magnificent $100+ million arena. The 400,000-square-foot, five-story arena with seating for 11,406 is truly the envy of the NCAA. The main lobby area has ticket sales, a pro shop and complete "Sioux Tradition" museum. The arena hosts family shows, concerts, ice events and Fighting Hawks Hockey. 

It’s impossible to describe the $104+ million Ralph Engelstad Arena in just a few words, but it is described by many as the “finest facility of its kind in the world.” The 400,000-square-foot arena is nothing but first class. All concourse floors are granite, each seat is constructed of leather and cherry wood, and there are 48 full luxury suites, two mini-suites, and two enormous club rooms featuring the longest freestanding bars in the state. The training facility features a 10,000 sq. ft. weight room, multiple locker rooms, Olympic Arena, and the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center for the basketball and volleyball programs. What you have is more than a world-class facility; you have the Ralph Engelstad Arena.

The biggest attraction though, and the reason the arena was built, is University of North Dakota Hockey. In its inaugural season (2001-02) in the new Ralph Engelstad Arena, hockey attendance erupted into an all-time high. All of the games in this 11,634 capacity hockey arena sold out in just 43 minutes after single-game tickets went on sale for the inaugural season.

Since opening its doors on October 5, 2001, the Ralph Engelstad Arena has played host to many big attractions, such as Kenny Chesney, Carrie Underwood, Sugarland, the Minnesota Wild, Brad Paisley, Toby Keith, Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick tennis, and many other entertainers and professional sports teams.

From December 25, 2004 – January 4, 2005, Ralph Engelstad Arena played host to the 2005 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship. This tournament featured the best under-20 hockey players from around the world and put Grand Forks and Ralph Engelstad Arena at center stage in the hockey world for two weeks. It was the biggest event that this region had ever seen.

Ralph Engelstad Arena played host to the NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey West Regional Championship March 24-25, 2006 where UND defeated Holy Cross to advance to the NCAA Frozen Four. In March 2021, REA hosted the NCHC Frozen Faceoff, where UND captured its first playoff championship.

The 2021-22 season marks Ralph Engelstad Arena's 20th Anniversary! The building has evolved but looks as beautiful as it did 20 years ago.