An NHL "regulation rink has been constructed for public and private use at Fenway Park" for the second time in three years, according to Rich Thompson of the BOSTON HERALD. The rink will be the site of Sun Life Frozen Fenway 2012, a "16-day event that includes free public skating with eight high school and six collegiate men's and women's hockey games." The NHL "handled the logistics" in '10 when the Winter Classic was played at the ballpark, but Fenway management this year is "keeping the installation, upkeep and scheduling an in-house project." The endeavor "will be financed via ticket sales for some of the high school and all the college contests." Red Sox Exec VP & COO Sam Kennedy said, "We are in total control of this event. We partnered last time with the NHL and they controlled the Winter Classic. This time we selected the rink vendor and have taken all the risks on the activities and controlling all the operations. There will be more public ice time and more free events, so it is a different flavor of ice cream this year." The first game will be played on the rink at 3:00pm ET Monday afternoon (BOSTON HERALD, 12/29). Kennedy said the rink is "sort of like Rockefeller Center of Boston." Kennedy: "People get a chance to see the ice, come and skate. There’s all sorts of different games to see, youth tournaments to see. A great way to kick off the New Year” (“NESN Daily,” NESN, 12/28).
