A New Roller Skating Rink Is Opening at Rockefeller Center This Spring
The famous ice skating rink will be replaced with a roller rink starting in mid-April.
The ice skating rink at Rockefeller Center is preparing to close for the season this Sunday, but skating aficionados will still be able to get their fix in a new form. That's right, roller skating is coming to Rockefeller Center.
In a joint effort between Tishman Speyer (the owner of Rockefeller Center) and the Los Angeles-based Flipper's Roller Boogie Palace, the ice rink will be substituted with a spring-friendly version. For the first time since 1940, as The New York Times reports, the ice rink will make way for a smaller roller rink about half the size.
The new initiative—which is part of a larger project to revamp the surrounding area to attract tourists and locals alike—is set to begin on April 15. Tickets can be purchased online for $20 each (adult price).
The roller rink will host events for everybody, from "meditative" early morning skate sessions to disco nights. Sundays will even feature gospel music. As part of the project, a new skate shop will open in Rockefeller Center for those who wish to buy their own fancy gear. The original Flipper's four-wheel skates in royal blue suede and red laces and wheels will be available for purchase at the store—and for rent at the rink, too. Visitors and skating enthusiasts will be able to take a break and lounge on nearby tables and chairs, and will be allowed to bring outside food and drinks.
New York City saw a roller skating revival last spring, with many venues and events opening their floors to the retro pastime. Venues across the cities saw a spike in participation and demand. According to the website for Dreamland Roller Rink—a Brooklyn-based roller rink that organizes immersive roller parties and disco events—2021 was their "best season ever."
If you're looking for an outdoor roller skating excursion elsewhere in the city, Brooklyn Bridge Park is reopening its roller rink on April 8.