The Berry Events Center, which opened its doors in October 1999, is home to the Northern Michigan hockey team. The BEC also served as the home to the men’s and women’s basketball teams through the 2023-24 season. The facility is named in honor of the John Berry family, who made a gift of $2 million to Northern Michigan to help build the facility. John Berry is a 1971 Northern Michigan alumnus. The Berry Family Foundation is committed to providing grant support in the focus areas of free enterprise, education and youth, community and healthcare. You can learn more about the Foundation’s mission, history and grant eligibility requirements at berryfamilyfoundation.org.
The facility provides individual seating for approximately 3,800 fans, in addition to seats in 16 luxury boxes. Along the perimeter of the arena are four large concession areas, as well as standing room for approximately 400 fans.
When used for hockey, the Berry Events Center has a hybrid ice sheet measuring 200 feet by 93 feet. When it was used for basketball, the court sat on protective flooring that is placed over the ice, providing additional courtside seating for 500 fans. Conversion from hockey to basketball was completed in approximately five hours.
The Berry Events Center features locker rooms for each of its home teams, as well as four general-use locker rooms. A weight room, athletic training room and meeting rooms are located in the hockey area.
The Berry Events Center was the site of a 2009 ISU World Cup Short Track Speedskating events, where two world records were set. It also held the 2006 U.S. Short Track Speedskating Championships, which served as the Olympic Trials for the U.S. Team that competed at the Torino Winter Games.
Also designed to host concerts and community events, the Berry Events Center is equipped with moveable theatrical rigging and lighting. Some of the entertainers who have recently performed at the Berry Events Center are Maya Angelou, Dierks Bentley, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, and Jason Mraz.
For information on renting the Berry Events Center, call 906-227-2850. For interest in purchasing tickets, please call the Berry Events Center Ticket Office at 906-227-1032. For facility hours click here.
