Colorado College’s Robson Arena moved closer to reality Tuesday when the Colorado Springs City Council officially approved CC’s on-campus arena.

Following a presentation from the Robson Arena project team and comments from the public, the council voted unanimously to approve the arena, which will allow the Colorado College hockey team to play its games on campus for the first time in the 80-plus year history of the program.

“This is a transformational moment for CC Tiger hockey, Colorado College, downtown Colorado Springs, and economic development for the Pikes Peak region,” said Colorado College VP and director of athletics Lesley Irvine. “We are excited to finally be able to host our fans in a state-of-the-art, Colorado College Tigers-branded, home-ice facility with action close to the ice.”

The arena, named for Edward J. Robson, Colorado College class of 1954 and the building’s largest donor, is part of CC’s master plan that was approved by the college’s Board of Trustees in 2015.

The multi-purpose arena will offer a wealth of opportunities not only for Colorado College, but also for the Colorado Springs community and the larger Pikes Peak region.

Construction of the 3,400-seat Robson Arena is expected to begin with a groundbreaking ceremony on Feb. 15, 2020, and a projected opening date in the fall of 2021.

The arena is situated on the southeast side of the CC campus, bordered by Nevada Avenue and Cache La Poudre, Tejon, and Dale streets, and will provide opportunities for continued retail uses along Tejon Street.

In addition to the varsity hockey team, the new arena will serve intramurals, the college’s club teams, student life activities, academics and community hockey leagues.

Approximately $35.5 million has been raised to date, including $26.2 million in gifts and pledges and $9.2 million in City for Champions funding. This is the largest amount raised so far for a building on the Colorado College campus.