Renaming of the Iceplex in Brighton; ‘Absolute perfect fit’
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The former Bill Gray’s Regional Iceplex has a new name.
The new name is “Tim Horton’s Iceplex” and it is pretty fitting. Horton was a Canadian hockey player before he went on to co-found the beloved coffeehouse chain.
Located on the campus of Monroe Community College, the Iceplex has been in business for 22 years and gets about 1.5 million visitors annually.
Combined, the hockey tournaments, classes, and other events there bring in about $60 million every year.
For ten years, the Iceplex had a contract with Bill Gray’s.
Chris Woodworth is Executive Director of the Iceplex. He said partnering with Tim Hortons is exactly what they were hoping for.
“Come to find out what kind of dream came true. Tim Hortons — the brand is synonymous with the community and ice hockey. So after we’ve kind of connected as a group, this has been something that’s been in the works ever since. So I’m really excited for the future,” Woodworth said. “Tim Horton, the human, is that tremendous hockey player. From Canada, played for the Sabers. So, there’s that nice tie in with our favorite NHL team, if you will. He also owned at the coffee shop, but did a lot with philanthropy.”
The Iceplex remains open but there will be an official grand opening in January, and it’s possible it will get its very own Tim Horton’s.