Erected in 1996, the Wichita Ice Center, formerly Ice Sports Wichita, sought to fill the need for an ice rink in the Wichita area. Several individual citizens and groups petitioned the city for such a rink, stating the need was felt community wide. Since its inception, the facility has been a place for skating lessons, figure skating, hockey (youth and adult), leisure skating, and many other ice related sports and leisure activities.
Wichita Ice Center cost approximately $8.3 million, most of which was the base building. Modifications approved by the City of Wichita Council added $1 million to the price tag. A professional sized skating rink, a professional sized hockey rink, a restaurant, administrative offices, locker rooms, a snack counter, a pro shop, a common area with seating to put skates on, and a 1000-person spectator seating in the Olympic sized rink cover the core amenities offered by the Ice Center.
Canlan Ice Sports developed Ice Sports Wichita and managed the facility beginning in 1996. In August of 2005, the City of Wichita decided to terminate its management agreement with Canlan, begin operations of the facility under the name of The Wichita Ice Center and pursue new facility management possibilities through a RFP process. In September 2006, the City of Wichita entered into an agreement with Rink Management Services Corporation of Mechanicsville, Virginia to begin management of the Wichita Ice Center.