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 The
venerable and historic Duluth Entertainment and Convention
Center, arguably one of the top college hockey complexes in the
country has served as the Bulldogs' home for 41 years.
Located on the waterfront near Duluth's famous Aerial Lift Bridge
and Canal Park, the "DECC", as it is more affectionately known,
has become a landmark of sorts since opening just over four decade ago. Completed in 1966
at a cost of $6.5 million, the Arena portion of the complex houses
a 190-by-85 foot hockey rink with a 5,494 seating capacity (all with great sitelines (and
approximately 100 standing room), and six locker rooms, including
the newly-remodeled $2 million structure occupied by the Bulldogs.
The rink area, also used by the three-time (2001-03) NCAA ice hockey
champion Bulldog women, is extremely versatile as it can easily
and quickly be converted into a different "stage" allowing
the DECC Arena to host many concerts, dinners, conventions,and shows. The DECC was the site of the NCAA Division I men's hockey championships in both 1968 and 1981 and hosted the Women' NCAA I Frozen Four in 2003. (It will also host that same event in 2008).
A spacious lobby, where ticket sales originate, separates the Arena
from the Auditorium. The Auditorium plays host to concerts, symphonies,
plays, operas, high school and college graduations, and a variety
of other activities. Individual groups also rentout the mezzanine
portion of the Auditorium for private parties.
Paulucci Hall, located beneath the DECC lobby, is the center for
many post-game activities and other social functions. In 1976, an
addition was built -- Pioneer Hall and the Duluth Curling Club --
to the Arena-Auditorium. Pioneer Hallcontains a hockey rink and
a smaller seating capability with fold-out bleacher seating. Pioneer
Hall is also the home of the Duluth Curling Club with eight curling
rinks and lounge area.
 The
$30 million Convention Center, which is the site of numerous social,
business and entertainment events, became part of the DECC complex
in 1991 and was expanded in 2002. In the spring of 1996, an OMNIMAX Theatre
opened and a 10-screen theatre complex made its debut nine years later. An adjacent parking lot and ramp allows
for plenty of close parking, and a indoor skywalk system -- the
Northwest Passage -- links the DECC to Duluth's downtown district.
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