| AIC Steppe Arena | |
| Native Name: | AIC Степпе Арена |
| Nickname: | Мөсөн Өргөө |
| Fullname: | AIC Steppe Arena |
| Location: | Khan Uul, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia |
| Broke Ground: | 14 April 2019 |
| Built: | 2021 |
| Opened: | 29 September 2021 |
| Owner: | AIC Steppe Arena LLC |
| Surface: | Artificial ice |
| Architect: | Anagram LLC |
| Project Manager: | AIC Steppe Arena LLC |
| Capacity: | 2,600 - 3,600 |
| Suites: | 5 |
| Website: | https://aicsteppearena.mn/el/ |
| Former Names: | Талын дэвжээ |
The AIC Steppe Arena (Mongolian: AIC Степпе Арена and originally Steppe Arena), is an indoor ice hockey arena in Khan Uul District, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
The ice rink is built per proposed standards from the International Olympic Committee which provides the opportunity to host both international and continental games.
The International Ice Hockey Federation met with Mongolian President Khaltmaagiin Battulga in 2018 to discuss on the possibility of building an ice rink in Mongolia.[1]
The groundbreaking ceremony for the AIC Steppe Arena on 14 April 2019 was led by Puntsagiin Tsagaan, founder and chairman of the Board of AIC Steppe Arena LLC, and President Battulga.[2] Construction progress amidst the COVID-19 pandemic[1] and later opened in a ceremony led by President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh on 29 September 2021.[3]
In 2018, AIC Steppe Arena LLC launched a project to build an indoor ice hockey rink in country as their first project.[4] They tasked local firm Anagram LLC to work on the architectural plan of the indoor arena[5] and they were aided by the Embassy of Canada in Mongolia who provided connections with architects who were experienced in building similar large-scale sports facility. AIC Steppe Arena LLC signed cooperation memorandums with Canadian firms DA Architecture Limited and HDR | CEI Architecture Associates to help them work on the project allowing the design team to study ice rinks of varying scale in Canada.[4] One of the factors considered in designing the arena is Mongolia's extreme climate, which can get as cold as in the winter and as hot as in the summer.[4]
The Mongolian architects who worked on the building preferred a modern design for the arena and did not want to draw inspiration from historical references such as the country's yurts.[6] The structure did incorporate indigenous influence such as Mongolian traditional-style pillars.[7]
The AIC Steppe Arena has a seating capacity of 2,600 and a usable area of 7800sqm. It has five changing rooms for athletes and referees and meeting rooms that accommodate 80 to 100 people. The ice field inside has a dimension of 60x.[3]
Steppe Arena meets international standards for the development and organization of winter sports, and games and organizes specialized arts, culture, and conferences in Mongolia. Upon completing naming rights research on major companies in Mongolia, Steppe Arena LLC issued naming rights to Achit-Ikht LLC for three years, becoming the pioneer to do so in Mongolia.