Portland’s Lloyd Center ice rink is scheduled to close on August 8, ending a 66-year run at the center of the Northeast Portland mall. The closure affects longtime skaters, coaches, families, and tenants as redevelopment plans move forward. This report explains the final-day events, the rink’s history, and the remaining options for local skaters.
Key Takeaways
- Lloyd Center and its ice rink are scheduled to close to the public on August 8, 2026.
- The rink opened with the mall on August 1, 1960, giving it a 66-year operating history.
- A final skate featuring longtime skaters Jerry and Tally Leonard is scheduled for 6:45 p.m.
- The redevelopment plan calls for thousands of housing units and more than six acres of open space, but no replacement rink.
- Skating advocates say nearby facilities may be too distant or already operating near capacity.
The Lloyd Center ice rink is entering its final days after serving as a Portland indoor recreation space since 1960. The rink is scheduled to close with the public mall on August 8, bringing lessons, public sessions, performances, and family visits at the central atrium to an end.
The closure is part of a broader transition at Lloyd Center, where ownership plans to replace the largely vacant mall with a mixed-use neighborhood. For skaters, the immediate issue is more specific. The approved plan does not include another ice rink, leaving coaches, students, and recreational skaters to seek space elsewhere in the Portland area.
The Final Weekend Centers on One Last Skate
The final-day program is centered on the rink’s role as a gathering place. Jerry and Tally Leonard, who have skated weekly at Lloyd Center for nearly six decades, are scheduled to take a farewell lap at 6:45 p.m. on August 8.
Earlier that day, young skaters will be able to write and draw messages on the ice. Visitors will also be invited to add memories to a commemorative banner, according to the Lloyd Community Association.
Other activities are scheduled throughout the mall, including a group walk, a community bike ride, performances, music, and additional farewell programming. The events will give former shoppers, current tenants, and skating families several ways to mark the property’s final public day.
The closure applies to the public mall and the ice rink. Ownership has said Jumbo’s Pickleball, Trackers Earth, and Regal Cinemas will remain open under separate arrangements after August 8. Other remaining tenants were given until August 31 to complete their operations.
The Lloyd Center Ice Rink Built a 66-Year Legacy
Photo Credit: Unsplash.com
Lloyd Center opened on August 1, 1960, with the ice rink positioned as a central feature. U.S. Figure Skating has described it as the world’s first shopping-center ice rink, a distinction that connected the venue with the mall’s identity from its earliest years.
The original rink operated within an open-air shopping center. It later moved under an atrium roof as Lloyd Center was enclosed. A renovation completed in 2016 replaced the larger rectangular surface with a smaller oval rink that remained visible from multiple mall levels.
That visibility distinguished the rink from stand-alone skating facilities. Shoppers could watch lessons, rehearsals, public sessions, and performances from the surrounding railings without entering the rink area. Skating remained part of the mall’s daily activity rather than an attraction separated from the rest of the property.
The rink served several levels of the sport. Its schedule included public skating, beginner instruction, freestyle sessions, specialty classes, parties, and private rentals. U.S. Figure Skating highlighted the venue in 2025 for its work with Carousel Figure Skating Club and Pacific Ice Academy, including introductory programs that helped new skaters develop foundational skills.
Tonya Harding learned to skate at Lloyd Center before later training at Clackamas Town Center, according to the Oregon Encyclopedia. The rink’s history also includes generations of recreational students who used the smaller surface as an entry point into skating.
The closure represents another shift in the region’s outdoor recreation landscape, where facilities serve different age groups, skill levels, and neighborhoods. Unlike seasonal activities, the Lloyd Center rink provided scheduled indoor access throughout the year.
Redevelopment Plans Leave the Rink Out
Urban Renaissance Group announced that Lloyd Center would close to the public on August 8 as the property moves toward redevelopment. The company said the proposed neighborhood would include thousands of housing units, more than six acres of open space, and improved connections with surrounding areas.
Tom Kilbane, managing director of Urban Renaissance Group, said “the mall is no longer viable in its current form.” The company reported that the property spans about 20 city blocks, covers approximately 1.2 million square feet, and is more than 90 percent vacant.
The current plan does not include a replacement ice rink. Portland City Council voted in July to deny an appeal challenging the redevelopment framework, clearing the way for a mixed-use project without an ice facility.
The project joins other urban redevelopment planning across Portland that combines housing, open space, recreation, and neighborhood access. At Lloyd Center, however, the removal of the rink creates a specific concern because the redevelopment replaces a functioning recreation venue without identifying an on-site substitute.
Ownership has described the mall closure as a necessary stage in preparing the property for its next use. The redevelopment is expected to occur over time, while the August closure immediately ends public access to the mall and rink.
Skaters Face a Smaller Set of Nearby Options
The immediate challenge is finding available ice. Kellan Embry of the Save Lloyd Ice Coalition said other regional rinks are “at capacity or are too far for certain skaters.”
Existing facilities in Beaverton, Sherwood, and Vancouver may absorb some activity, but travel time, scheduling, and available sessions could affect whether families and adult skaters can maintain established routines. The Lloyd Center location also benefited from nearby MAX and bus service, providing an option for visitors who did not drive.
The smaller oval surface had limitations. It could not support every hockey program or full-size competition need. Its scale, however, was suited to public skating, short lessons, developmental instruction, and community events.
U.S. Figure Skating reported that the rink’s smaller dimensions limited some advanced programming but supported Learn to Skate classes and specialty instruction. Pacific Ice Academy and Carousel Figure Skating Club used those programs to provide structured pathways for beginners and developing skaters.
Possible alternatives have been discussed, including seasonal or shared use at Veterans Memorial Coliseum. City officials expressed interest in exploring the option, although staffing, scheduling, and facility access remain unresolved. No confirmed replacement matching Lloyd Center’s year-round public schedule has been announced.
The final skate will therefore mark more than the closure of an attraction inside an aging mall. When the August 8 session ends, the Lloyd Center ice rink will leave Portland without the same centrally located venue that introduced generations of residents to skating.
Frequently Asked Questions
When Will the Lloyd Center Ice Rink Close?
The Lloyd Center ice rink is scheduled to close to the public on August 8, 2026. The farewell skate featuring Jerry and Tally Leonard is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. that day.
How Long Has the Rink Operated?
The rink opened with Lloyd Center on August 1, 1960. Its scheduled closure comes 66 years after the mall and rink began operating.
Why Is Lloyd Center Closing?
Ownership has said the largely vacant mall is no longer workable in its current form and is preparing the site for mixed-use redevelopment. The plan includes housing, open space, retail uses, and new neighborhood connections.
Will the Redevelopment Include Another Ice Rink?
The current redevelopment plan does not include a replacement ice rink. Skating advocates have raised concerns about distance and capacity at other regional facilities.
Where Can Portland-Area Skaters Go Next?
Other ice facilities operate in Beaverton, Sherwood, Vancouver, and nearby communities. Availability varies by location, and no direct year-round replacement for the Lloyd Center ice rink has been confirmed.
