The $50 million Harold Alfond Arena renovation got another boost on Wednesday with the announcement that University of Maine alumni David and Nancy Hunt have pledged $1 million toward the ongoing upgrades at the school’s hockey arena in Orono.
“Both Nancy and I wanted to give back to the college, where we first met each other, and to the hockey program, which is near and dear to our hearts,” David Hunt, a former UMaine hockey player, said in a press release from the school.
Hunt was a defenseman for the Black Bears who scored seven goals and added 13 assists during his 88 games at the school. He graduated in 1984 with a degree in education. Nancy Hunt graduated in 1982 with a degree in business administration. Her father, Thomas O. Auger, started VIP Discount Auto Center and the Hunts helped build that business to include 50 locations in several states, according to the university press release.
“I am extremely grateful to the Hunts for their generous pledge,” said UMaine president Joan Ferrini-Mundy. “Their support is a wonderful reflection of UMaine’s impact on their lives and the university’s place in their hearts.”
As part of the $1 million pledge, the Hunt family will get naming rights for the main entrance to the revamped Shawn Walsh Hockey Center as renovations at the Alfond Arena continue.
David Hunt said that he and his wife had discussions with Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development and Capital Planning Seth Woodcock, University of Maine Foundation Associate Director of Planned Giving Karen Kemble and UMaine hockey head coach Ben Barr this past fall, and the Hunts “are confident that our contribution will benefit the hockey program now and, in the future, making the University of Maine Hockey program a premier destination for aspiring hockey players seeking a quality education.”
The ongoing $50 million arena renovation remains on track to be completed by the end of 2025 with enough done in time to start the hockey season, university officials said during a tour of the project earlier this month. This is the first major upgrade to the 48-year-old Alfond Arena since 2011.
The renovations include larger and improved locker rooms, more expansive training rooms, improved equipment and lounge spaces, a brand new concession stand and a covered patio outside the stadium, among other improvements.
“We are so appreciative of David and Nancy’s commitment, not just to their alma mater, but to the ice hockey program and our vision for Maine Athletics,” said UMaine director of athletics Jude Killy. “Their generosity is playing a part in truly making a difference, and making anything possible, here at UMaine.”
