The Memorial City Mall ice rink has been part of Houston for more than 20 years. It closes July 31. Families, coaches, and skaters are asking MetroNational to reconsider.
For two decades, the ice rink at Memorial City Mall has been where Houston kids learned to skate, where youth hockey teams practiced, where figure skaters trained before dawn, and where families spent a Saturday afternoon doing something active together. That chapter ends July 31, 2026 — and the Houston skating community isn’t going quietly.
MetroNational, which operates Memorial City Mall, announced the ice rink will officially conclude operations on Friday, July 31, 2026, as part of plans to demolish portions of the former Sears wing in preparation for future development. The closure follows two ammonia leaks at the rink — one in December 2025 and another earlier this year that forced a full mall evacuation, with the rink identified as the source.
What’s Being Lost
The ice skating rink has been inside Memorial City Mall since 2003. For Houston’s skating community, it has never been just a mall amenity — it has been one of the only places in a major American city where ice sports could actually grow.
Coaches point out that Houston, despite being the fourth largest city in the United States, has only a handful of ice facilities to serve a growing skating population. With Memorial City gone, that number drops further. U.S. Olympian and figure skating director Natasha Kuchiki — a 1992 Olympic Team USA member and 1991 World Bronze Medalist — said the closure will impact speed skating, curling, hockey, figure skating, and programs designed to introduce people to ice sports, including programs that help children with disabilities participate.
For families, the loss hits closer to home. “Pretty devastated,” said parent April Sharr. “My daughter does ice skating and a few other sports. It’s very centrally located for us, and I value how much time we put into skating.”
What MetroNational Says
In a statement, MetroNational said the decision “was not made lightly” and that a 3.5-month notice should give families enough time to make alternative arrangements. The company also confirmed that any prepaid, unused skating sessions will be fully refunded.
MetroNational added: “While it is difficult to say goodbye to a space that has hosted 20 years of memories, this transition allows us to thoughtfully reinvest in the long-term growth of our community.” The company said all usable equipment from the ice rink will be donated to other rinks and community organizations to support future skaters and programs.
The Community Is Asking for More
A community petition — building on more than 1,000 signatures gathered in 2023 when the rink’s future was first questioned — is now calling on MetroNational to either reconsider the permanent closure or commit to including a replacement or relocated rink within the redevelopment plan. The argument isn’t anti-development. It’s that a modern Memorial City can accommodate both.
Recreation spaces like ice rinks drive consistent foot traffic, increase time spent at retail centers, and bring families back week after week. Closing the rink doesn’t just affect skaters — it removes a community anchor that served thousands of Houstonians every year. Community members have already launched petitions asking MetroNational whether a public-private partnership could keep ice sports alive in the area. The ask is straightforward: reconsider the permanent closure, or build a replacement into the redevelopment plan.
What Happens Next
As of April 8, the rink’s website shows it is temporarily closed for repairs, with a message reading that the facility is closed as repairs are made to crucial infrastructure. The official closing date remains July 31.
For Houston families currently enrolled in skating programs, MetroNational says rink management will communicate with customers directly about programming going forward. Sugar Land Ice is already one of the few alternatives, with programming running from 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. with no breaks — a sign of how stretched Houston’s remaining ice facilities already are.
If you want to add your voice to the effort to save or replace the rink, the community petition is active now. The window to influence this outcome is closing almost as fast as the rink itself.
