ABOUT THE ARENA

Harding Mazzotti Arena – A Brief History

The Harding Mazzotti Arena is a 4,774-seat multipurpose venue located in downtown Glens Falls, New York. Opened on May 18, 1979, as the Glens Falls Civic Center, it was the home of the Adirondack Red Wings, American Hockey League affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings from 1979 to 1999. The Red Wings won three division titles and four Calder Cup championships in their 20-season run in Glens Falls, seeing the Calder Cup come home in 1981, 1986, 1989 and 1992. The first three of those championships being clinched on home ice in front of the Adirondack faithful.

Apart from three seasons between 2006 through 2009, the arena has been the continuous home for minor league hockey since 1979. Seven seasons with the Adirondack IceHawks and Frostbite of the former United Hockey League. Six seasons with the Adirondack Phantoms and Flames of the American Hockey league. And now the Adirondack Thunder of the ECHL with more than a decade in Glens Falls.

In addition to minor league hockey, the arena has played host to various NHL exhibition matches, Olympic pre-tournament games and NCAA DI hockey tournaments. The arena has hosted other sporting events such as the NYSPHSAA Boys Basketball championships, boxer Mike Tyson’s taking down James Tillis on May 3, 1986, and the Hometown Classic basketball game between the University of Vermont and hometown star Jimmer Fredette’s Brigham Young University on December 8, 2010.

Several world-renowned musical artists have performed at the arena over the years. The Beach Boys have the distinction of hosting the first concert in the building, drawing an estimated 7,000 fans into the newly opened venue on May 19, 1979. Since then, the arena has hosted artists such as Grateful Dead, Queen, Ozzy Osborne, Billy Joel, AC/DC, The Who, Phish, Godsmack, Three Days Grace, Paramore, Shinedown, and The 1975 and more.

As of April 1, 2015, the building became privately managed by the Glens Falls Civic Center Coalition. The coalition was formed by community business owners who wanted to stabilize and solidify the arena’s place in the region. In addition to managing the building, they further solidified local hockey with the purchase the Adirondack Thunder franchise from the Calgary Flames in 2017. This historic purchase solidified minor league hockey in Glens Falls, with the Thunder becoming the first team in Glens Falls to be fully owned and managed by local ownership.

In addition to the main arena bowl, the arena has invested in six luxury suites above the stands, six locker rooms, and a 5,760 square foot banquet space named Heritage Hall. In 2017, the building’s naming rights were sold for the first time. The building became known as the Cool Insuring Arena until being unveiled on July 28, 2025, as the Harding Mazzotti Arena.

Glens Falls Civic Center Foundation

The Glens Falls Civic Center Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) with the goal of providing funds for capital improvements to the Harding Mazzotti Arena. It was founded in June of 2003 by Paul Pontiff. Paul was a founding member of the Glens Falls Civic Center Foundation in 2003 because, like all of his charitable pursuits, he saw a need in the community and instinctively wanted to help. He had a vision to gather community leaders to devote their expertise and efforts to fundraising in support of capital projects at the Glens Falls Civic Center (now known as the Harding Mazzotti Arena). Paul was a tremendous and tireless leader who was able to garner the support of our community to help preserve and improve the arena, which he considered one of our community’s greatest assets. He was the founder and first President of the Foundation but, more importantly, he worked side by side with his fellow board members to ensure the Foundation’s success from 2003 until his passing. Paul loved hockey, Glens Falls, and the Warren County area and would do anything he could to see that the three joined forces and were successful.

Board Members

President – Melissa Davidson, Northern Insuring Agency
Vice President – John Wright, Bartlett, Pontiff, Stewart & Rhodes P.C.
Treasurer – Mark Sidoti, NBT Bank
Secretary – Katy Margison, Athena Nutrition
John Gitto – Glens Falls National Bank & Trust Company
Brian Warner – Edward Jones
Zachary LaFave – New York Life
Daniel Burke – Retired, Banking Industry
Ethan Hall – Rucinski Hall Architecture
Rich Gordon – Retired, Hospitality
Kevin O’Brien – TechFirst Insurance Agency
Christina Blanchard – NBT Bank
Michael Scott – Stephen Arnold Music
Tricia Rogers – Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce
Kevin Weaver – Saratoga Eagle
Maureen Ginter-Grabowski – Homestead Funding
Tadd Sipowicz – Arena Representative, ECHL Thunder
Nikki Shine – Stored Tech
Brian Stidd– Stidd CPA

SAVE THE DATE

Paul E. Pontiff Memorial Golf Tournament

Friday, September 4, 2026 at the Hiland Park Country Club in Queensbury

More information to be announced soon!

Interested in being a sponsor?

Interested in being a sponsor?
Please contact Board Vice President, John Wright: jdw@bpsrlaw.com

How to Support the Foundation

Donate

By Mail: (Check or Money Order)

The Glens Falls Civic Center Foundation
1 Civic Center Plaza
Glens Falls, NY 12801

Online: Click Here

Buy-A-Seat Campaign

Support the Glens Falls Civic Center Foundation by purchasing an inscribed seat plaque!

Plaques may be purchased in any quantity for $100 per plaque. Plaques may be inscribed with up to 15 characters. (Please note that blank spaces count as one character).

How to Purchase:

Online: Click Here

By Mail:
Plaques may be purchased by mail. Just print and fill out this form, and send it to: