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Eric Hasman

Grossinger Motors Arena - Bloomington Bison


Photos by Eric Hasman, Stadium Journey

Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.57

Grossinger Motors Arena 101 S Madison St

Bloomington, IL 61701

Year Opened: 2006 Capacity: 6,000

 

ECHL Bloomington Bison

Grossinger Motors Arena (formerly  U.S. Cellular Coliseum and simply the Coliseum) is an arena in downtown Bloomington, Illinois. It is on the southwest corner of Madison Street (US-51) and Front Street. The arena opened to the public on April 1, 2006.


Its seating capacity is approximately 6,000 for hockey and indoor football games and 7,000+ for concerts. The arena has 800 club seats, 24 luxury suites, and a two-party suite.


Grossinger Motors Arena has been the home venue for several hockey, indoor football, and basketball teams.


  • Home hockey teams included Bloomington Prairie Thunder (UHL/IHL/CHL affiliations from 2006-2011), Bloomington Blaze (CHL from 2011-2013), Bloomington Thunder (SPHL from 2013-2014), and the Central Illinois Flying Aces (USHL from 2014 – 2019).  

  • Home football teams were Bloomington Extreme (UIF/IFL from 2006 - 2012) and Bloomington Edge (CIFL/XLIFL/CIF/IFL affiliations from 2012-2018).  

  • Home basketball teams were Central Illinois Drive (MPBA 2011-2012 ) and Bloomington Flex (MBPA from 2012-2015).  


Grossinger Motors Arena currently hosts the Illinois State Redbird Hockey Club and the new ECHL hockey team, the Bloomington Bison.


Food & Beverage 3

The food selection is pretty good here. They have the classics: chicken strips ($8), bratwurst ($7), hot dogs ($6) and pizza ($6). There are hamburgers (a ½ pound for $15 and “Bloomington Meats Burger" $10), BBQ Sandwich ($10), BBQ nachos ($10), Smoked wings ($12), and Mac & Cheese ($6). For vegans/vegetarians, they sell “Beyond Chicken Strips" ($8).


The arena carries Pepsi products. Bottled soda or Gatorade is $4. A large fountain soda is $6, and a small fountain soda is $4. Bottle water is $4. They also have kids' juice boxes for $2.


There is a sweets stand that has sundaes ($10), root beer floats ($9), Dippin’ Dots / soft serve ice cream, soft pretzels/nachos ($6), churro bites ($5), brownies ($4), candy ($3), potato chips ($3) and cookies ($2). Popcorn is $6 for a large. Note on select days; the popcorn is free.


There are full bar service stands that have mixed drinks ($10 to $12). Domestic Budweiser and Miller/Coors products sell for $8 for a can (16 oz.). Blue Moon and Modelo cost $10. There are a couple of craft beers here, Bison Blonde Ale and Keg Grove Holey Jeans, that cost $11. They do not have any wine in the arena (strange), but they do have High Noon hard seltzers for $8.


The lines can get long, and the concourses are narrow, so it gets crowded. I suggest that you wait until the game starts before you get in line.


Atmosphere 2

The Bloomington Bison does not offer much time out or between-period events. Of course, there is a t-shirt throw. The lobby is kind of cramped. The box office area has about five windows, and you can get paper tickets there.


The arena has one level of seating on three (3) sides of the ice (like a horseshoe) and suite seating up above that requires a separate entrance. The suites provide a very nice view of the arena.


The video board is located on the open end of the arena and shows the usual stuff: scores, some stats, and the game. There is no overhanging scoreboard.


Abe, a bison, is the official mascot of the team and is only available for photos/autographs as he makes his way to a seating area to do a promotion.  There are a couple of concession tables offering a good selection collection of team gear that includes hats, t-shirts, and both home and away jerseys. And it would not be a hockey game without the obligatory chuck-a-puck.



Neighborhood 2

The Grossinger Motors Arena is about 2 miles from Illinois State University and about 1 mile from Illinois Wesleyan University. In addition, the arena is in downtown Bloomington, which is the County Hub. The Courthouse and other municipal building areas are within blocks of the arena. 


Approximately two blocks away, there is the McLean County Museum of History. The museum has different theme rooms such as farming, Abraham Lincoln, jobs in Central Illinois, and even a little kids' area to play as if they were on a farm. There is residential housing a couple of blocks to the west of the arena. 


There are not many bars/restaurants within a ½ mile of the arena. However, one place is Anju Above (Asian Fusion), which is an upbeat tapas joint with farm-to-table pizza, sushi, Korean pork buns & more.

 

My favorite place to go is a few miles from the arena, the Pub II, a college bar and restaurant which is known for its famous fried cheeseballs. This is a burger/sandwich place. The burgers/patty melts are very good, as is the pork tenderloin sandwich. There are plenty of TVs here showing sporting events.


Approximately 9 miles away is the Corn Crib, home of the Prospect Baseball Leagues’ Normal CornBelters.


Fans 2

The average crowd for this new team is around 2,000 to 3,000 per game. The people going to Bison games are mostly families. However, this could be different on “309” nights, which have cheaper beer and some food items. For a new ECHL team, the Bison have a lot of good promotions throughout the season.


On the evening of this review, the crowd seemed to be there for a night out; they weren’t into the game. However, being the first hockey game there in years could be the reason.


Access 4

It is easy to get to the arena. It is about 8 miles off the intersection of Interstate 55 and Business 51.  In addition, it can be accessed off Interstate 74 and Business 51. Lastly, it is a few miles from S Business 51 and Route 39.


There is plenty of parking at the arena. The arena-sponsored lots cost $20. However, if you get there early enough, you should be able to find street parking for nothing.


I didn’t notice any public transportation in the area, but there is Uber/lift availability.


Like almost every arena/stadium these days, guests will be allowed to carry in one (1) clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bag that does not exceed 12” x 6” x 12” or one (1) one-gallon clear plastic bag. In addition to a clear plastic bag each guest will be allowed to carry in one (1) small clutch that does not exceed 4.5” x 6.5”.


Diaper bags (with a child three and under) and bags carrying medically necessary items will be allowed after a visual inspection inside the bag is completed by security.  Guests who have bags larger than this size will be asked to return them to their vehicle or discard them.


There are plenty of staff members who can be found to answer any questions that may be on your mind.


Return on Investment 3

Three price points for tickets for Bison games are a bit pricey at $20 - $32. In addition, there are “all-inclusive" seats for $75. The Bison do have a “family pack” option, too (4 tickets, $10 in merchandise, and an autographed puck for $79). 


However, due to the size of the arena, I don’t think there is a bad seat in the house.  Of course, you can rent suites too. They have Party Suites and an Ice Level Party Deck. The Ice Deck is set up at ice level, with high-top table seating & stools that come with an All You Can Eat buffet along with an All You Can Drink menu.


Extras 2

The team offers varied promotional nights and provides a sense of welcoming to all the fans who attend games.


The team has a great logo and team colors, and you can get paper tickets.


Final Thoughts

This is the first year for the ECHL club (2024-25). Other hockey teams have failed here. I hope this one can make it because the arena is a nice place to see a game, and you could be seeing the stars of tomorrow.  Being an ECHL team, some players and coaches may graduate to the AHL and NHL. 


The prices of concession stands are reasonable, there is a good selection of team merchandise, and they have a great logo.

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