Hamilton Community Center & Ice Arena - Indiana Sentinels

Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey

Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43

Hamilton Community Center & Ice Arena 2501 Lincoln Park Dr

Columbus, IN 47201

Indiana Sentinels website Hamilton County Center & Ice Arena website

Year Opened: 1958 Capacity: 1,000

Indiana Sentinels Make Their Mark in Columbus

The Indiana Sentinels are members of the Federal Prospects Hockey League. The club debuted for the 2025-2026 season in Columbus, Indiana, at the Hamilton Community Center & Ice Arena. A 1,000-seat hockey rink that is a temporary venue for the team until either a new building is constructed or the current venue is renovated.

The building’s original name was the Lincoln Center, and it opened in 1958. It was designed by architect Harry Weese as a gift to the city in memory of B.F. Hamilton, the founder of COSCO, Inc., a local company headquartered in Columbus. The building featured peaked roofs that were modeled after Swiss chalets. The exterior features a rough-hewn granite boulder, battered walls, and a triple-peaked roof with wood beams.

The cost of the gift to the city of Columbus was $600,000 and also included lighted tennis courts, bocci and croquet courts, a children’s playground, and a warming room with a fireplace. The ice rinks were enclosed in 1975 with matching materials to make it a year-round facility. The name of the building was changed to the Hamilton Center in 1995.

The rink is also home to the Columbus Icemen high school and Columbus Flames youth hockey teams, along with a host of other activities that include the Columbus Broomball Association, Full Throttle Skate Club, and the Lincoln Center Skate Club.

Team ownership originally planned on operating an FPHL franchise at the Corteva Coliseum on the grounds of the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. However, plans did not work out, and the focus shifted to the Hamilton Community Center in late 2024. The objective as of this writing is to have a 2,500-seat arena within the next three years for the Sentinels to move into and attract potential investors. 

Food & Beverage 3

There are two points of purchase for food and drink options at the venue. The concession stand is located inside the community room, serving hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, pretzels, and candy. There are six-inch pizzas from nearby Mother’s Bear, which include pepperoni and sausage varieties. Customers can add chili to their nachos or hot dogs for an additional fee.

Local beer from Hog Molly Brewing Company is available near the rink’s entrance. There are four varieties: Blindside Blackberry Blonde, Munich Octoberfest, Hog Molly IPA, and Gloves Off Nordic Golden Ale, which is made exclusively for the Sentinels. All fountain drinks are from Coca-Cola.

Atmosphere 4

The small hockey barn is fixed up well for the Sentinels games. Fans enter the community room where they are greeted by a merchandise table, concession stands, and an information booth. The area also has benches and a fire pit to allow fans a spot to relax before the game and during intermission.

The souvenir stand sells a bit of team gear, including t-shirts, caps, and jerseys. The variety is nice and provides a chance for fans to show their team spirit. The “S-Word” logo is sharp and looks good against the navy and gold backdrop.

Fans enter the rink through another door and make their way around to the east side of the facility to five rows of wooden bleacher seats. The area is very narrow and crowded during the game, but it also provides the heartbeat of the venue. This is where most of the excitement is from fans cheering, making noise, and holding up signs.

There is additional seating behind the goal, along with the SRO section. This is also a festive atmosphere on a much smaller scale; however, there is much more room to move around and mingle with other supporters. Visiting players make their way to the dressing room through this area, and sometimes a little jabbing goes on between players and fans.

The arena features a couple of simple scoreboards, various banners from the high school and youth hockey teams, but no scoreboard for instant replays and fan engagement. The club does have a mascot (he was not present during your visit) and a PA announcer who screams at the top of his lungs to cheer on the Sentinels. His enthusiasm is appreciated, but he gives up Sam Kinison vibes. During intermission, there are on-ice promotions with younger fans that include broom ball and attempts to make a goal from center ice.

Neighborhood 4

Columbus has its own downtown with a few other options within driving distance. There are plenty of lodging options in town and along I-65 to make a weekend visit ideal in town for an overnight stay that is in between Louisville and Indianapolis. 

Agni is among the best places to eat in town, offering Mexican, Asian, and Indian vegetarian cuisine. 450 North Brewing Company serves great beers and brick oven pizza, even by the slice, and Zwanzigz Pizza also features hoagies, calzones, and salads. There are even more great restaurants, including Henry’s Social Club, The Garbage Pub and Grill, Blackerby's Hangar 5, and Amazing Joe’s Grill.   

If interested in shopping, the Edinburgh Outlet Mall is located off of I-65 with further restaurant chain options. In this area, a few nice choices to stay overnight include Residence Inn, Courtyard, Holiday Inn, and the nearby Hotel Indigo at the Columbus Architectural Center.

If there is time, the city has two high school basketball gyms that are worth checking out. Memorial Gymnasium is home to the Columbus North Bulldogs and offers seating for 6,547 people. The Orange Pit is home to the Columbus East Olympians and is known for its massive array of orange throughout the building. Also, just a bit outside of town is the Edinburgh Gymnasium, home to the Edinburgh Lancers, a classic example of a sunken gym.

Fans 5

The fans have packed the ice arena this season with games near capacity. They stay from the opening face-off until the final buzzer. It is a collection of experienced and new fans of the sport who chant, cheer, and roar for the Sentinels during the game. There is one fan who holds up signs and ignites the crowd in the east stands to cheer and clap during certain moments of the game. The main lobby also becomes a meet and greet of fans during each intermission.

Access 2

The seating area is small, narrow, and due to the popularity of the team, it gets a bit crowded and hard to move around for some fans during games. There is additional seating at the end of the rink and a small enclosed space near the entrance of the rink that is ideal for fans on the Spectrum. The main lobby is spacious and houses the restrooms, concession stands, and merchandise tables. 

Return on Investment 3

The price of a ticket is $17 for an adult and $14 for military or first responders with an ID. The team also sells a $10 pre-game party bunker ticket. The price of food is lower than most minor league hockey games, with hot dogs selling for $3 and nachos for $5. The price of a beer is $9 plus tax, and a Sentinels hockey jersey will set you back $144. T-shirts and hats cost between $25 $35. 

Extras 3

The fans deserve a big round of applause for their enthusiasm, pride, and passion for the new hockey team in town. The team is sporting a losing record, but the stands have been close to full at every home game.

The second point is for the local flavors of Hog Molly beer from Columbus and Mother’s Bear Pizza from Bloomington. They are also not priced that high for a hockey game.

The community room earns a point for a nice place to gather with other fans and supporters in between intermissions. The design harkens back to the rink's early days, and the atmosphere adds to the festivities of the evening. 

Final Thoughts

The Hamilton Community Center & Ice Arena is not the ideal professional hockey venue, but fans have come out this year to support the club. The enthusiasm is evident among young and old fans who have a chance to enjoy professional hockey in their backyard. Hopefully, ownership and the city come up with a more modern and comfortable arena to harness the early interest in the sport. Who knows, perhaps Columbus, Indiana, is a minor league hockey town.

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Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter and his YouTube channel. Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com