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Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025 | 2 a.m.
Editor's note: Este artículo está traducido al español.
When Gina Usufzy’s son started playing hockey in Southern Nevada 13 years ago, families faced a stark reality: the sport was virtually inaccessible. The Vegas Golden Knights didn’t exist yet, and hockey in the desert remained a mostly unfulfilled dream.
As a single mother navigating the steep costs of equipment and travel associated with youth hockey clubs, Usufzy experienced these barriers firsthand. Her response was to create Jake Kielb’s Hockey Foundation — a nonprofit named after her son that breaks down barriers to the sport through free gear programs, clinics and scholarships.
Nearly a decade later, Usufzy is ready to expand her vision.
She’s working to establish Las Vegas Community Sports Complex, the region’s first nonprofit community ice rink and multiuse indoor turf field.
Turning that vision into reality will require the community’s support. The proposal calls for a facility in the northwest valley and carries a $15 million price tag — and unlike many athletic complexes, it would be built without public funding.
“Youth hockey itself has exploded — we see it in our USA Hockey numbers each year — and it’s a great thing to have, but when you don’t have enough facilities to support that growth, then you’ll start seeing a decline when there’s a ton of kids who want to play but there’s nowhere for them to play,” said Usufzy, CEO of the foundation. “They’re going to find another sport, so we’re really hoping that we can get this launched so that kids will continue to fall in love with the game, and we’re hoping that we can provide ice rinks for them.”
Since the Golden Knights took the ice in 2017, hockey has surged in popularity across Southern Nevada.
The numbers tell the story: Youth hockey participation jumped 268% after the team’s arrival, according to the National Hockey League.
Recognizing this momentum, the NHL has committed $3.6 million through its NHLPA Industry Growth Fund to support the Golden Knights’ youth hockey initiatives. That investment funds partnerships with organizations like the Clark County School District, along with learn-to-skate programs and the NHL/NHLPA Learn to Play program.
When the Golden Knights were granted their franchise in 2016, Southern Nevada had just three community ice rinks. That number has grown to seven, including City National Arena, built and paid for by Golden Knights owner Bill Foley and his investment group, and the America First Center, developed in a public-private partnership between the city of Henderson and Foley Entertainment Group.
Still, Usufzy and Beau Young — the foundation’s marketing and sponsorship lead — say the region remains underserved. Young knows the challenge intimately.
Young, the father of multisport athletes, is familiar with the scramble to secure ice time or turf fields for practice. The problem intensifies during Southern Nevada’s brutal summers, when triple-digit temperatures push outdoor sports indoors — and the competition for limited facilities becomes even fiercer.
About 18 months ago, Usufzy began working to transform her vision into reality. She’s since analyzed feasibility studies, developed architectural designs and pursued sponsors to help finance the project. They still need to acquire the land.
Young joined the effort after hearing about Usufzy’s plans from one of his sons’ coaches in the Las Vegas Ice Warriors youth hockey organization, which Usufzy also leads. Drawing on his marketing background, Young signed on to help raise the funds needed to bring the complex to life — driven by the same frustrations he faces when he tries to book practice space for his kids.
“The growth of (hockey) is going crazy within our city,” Young said. He too believes a lack of infrastructure is preventing an even bigger growth of the sport in Southern Nevada.
“When you have to practice at 5 a.m. or 6 a.m. and they’re closing a rink at 11 or 12 at night, and there’s still not enough ice time for everybody to play, there’s a need,” Young said.
The proposed 130,000-square-foot multiuse complex will feature two NHL-sized sheets of ice for hockey, figure skating, public skating, curling and other ice sports, along with a 200-by-85-foot indoor turf field for sports like soccer, lacrosse and football. The plan envisions seating for 1,500 spectators.
Additionally, plans call for a premium training and workout room; retail space available for lease; concessions; a full-service restaurant and bar with rooftop patio seating, Usufzy said.
The rinks and fields will be for sports practices, along with community events, watch parties, summer programs, year-round cross training and more, she added. The Las Vegas Ice Warriors would also make the Las Vegas Community Sports Complex their home facility.
The duo think the complex could be a boon for other sports too, including ice skating, cheer and futsal, a five-on-five game of indoor soccer with rolling substitutes and a smaller ball than what’s used in traditional soccer.
In countries like Brazil, Argentina, Portugal and Spain, futsal is where younger players develop skills such as ball control, which Young stressed could work for budding soccer players in Southern Nevada as well.
He also believes an increase in sports infrastructure could attract more families to the area and become an economic driver by raising the number of youth tournaments in Southern Nevada. Think: more soccer, hockey and even lacrosse tournaments with families from across the nation bringing in hundreds of dollars each in hotel stays, flights or gas, food and other means.
Jake Kielb’s Hockey Foundation launched its $15 million capital campaign for the sports complex earlier this month and expects to spend the next 12 to 18 months collecting monetary and in-kind donations from community members.
In-kind donations can be everything from bleachers or cabinets for offices to sports equipment that children will eventually use once the complex is open.
“My old rink director used to tell me all the time, ‘Gina, Rome wasn’t built in a day,’ and that’s always stuck with me. If it was easy, somebody would’ve already done it,” Usufzy said. “The community needs this, and we need help giving the community what they need. Help us help our youth.”
Contact Young for details at [email protected], or donate online: https://helpvegasplay.com/donations/
English (US) ·