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Matthews Arena Closes With Sold-Out NortheasternBU Finale Ahead of Redevelopment

Northeastern plans a 310,000-square-foot replacement on the same site, with a 4,050-seat rink slated for 2028 completion pending city approval.

Overview

  • The century-old venue hosts its final scheduled hockey game Saturday as Northeastern prepares to take the building down.
  • The replacement plan details a multipurpose athletic facility overlapping the current footprint and adjacent lots with reduced permanent seating.
  • Men’s and women’s hockey will relocate for roughly two and a half years, with games set at BU’s Walter Brown Arena, Harvard’s Bright-Landry Center, and UMass Lowell’s Tsongas Center.
  • Practice operations shift to the Boch Ice Center in Dedham, where Northeastern is building dedicated locker rooms for both teams.
  • Aging infrastructure and previously reported soil contamination, including asbestos and lead, have been cited among the factors driving the rebuild.