The Berry Events Center, which opened its doors in October 1999, is home to the Northern Michigan University hockey team and men’s and women’s basketball teams. The facility is named in honor of the John Berry family, who made a gift of $2 million to Northern Michigan to help build the facility. John Berry is a 1971 Northern Michigan alumnus.

The facility provides individual seating for approximately 3,800 fans, in addition to seats in 16 luxury boxes. Along the perimeter of the arena are four large concession areas, as well as standing room for approximately 400 fans.

When used for hockey, the Berry Events Center has an Olympic-sized ice sheet measuring 200 feet by 100 feet. When rigged for basketball, the court sits on protective flooring that is placed over the ice, providing an additional courtside seating for 500 fans. Conversion from hockey to basketball is completed in approximately five hours.

The Berry Events Center features locker rooms for each of its home teams, as well as four general-use locker rooms. In addition, skate rental and changing areas are located on the lower level of the facility. A weight room, athletic training room and meeting rooms are located in the hockey area.

The Berry Events Center was the site of a 2009 ISU World Cup Short Track Speedskating events, where two world records were set. It also held the 2006 U.S. Short Track Speedskating Championships, which served as the Olympic Trials for the U.S. Team that competed at the Torino Winter Games.

Also designed to host concerts and community events, the Berry Events Center is equipped with moveable theatrical rigging and lighting. Some of the entertainers who have recently performed at the Berry Events Center are Maya Angelou, Dierks Bentley, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, and Jason Mraz.

For information on renting the NMU Berry Events Center, call 906-227-2850.