But there is an arena across the river in Niagara Falls, Canada.
The mayor of Niagara Falls, New York, Robert Restaino, may get his wish. He wants to build a 7,000-seat arena in town which would cost an estimated $200 million. The Niagara Falls City Council has approved a settlement of a dispute over whether Niagara Falls Redevelopment can use vacant land to build a $1.48 billion data center. There are still some issues to be settled however. Niagara Falls has around 48,000 residents that sits across the Niagara River from Niagara Falls, Ontario and that could be a potential problem. Niagara Falls, Ontario has an arena that houses a junior A Ontario Hockey League franchise. Also in Niagara Falls, Ontario there is a casino resort that has an entertainment venue that can seat around 5,000 people. So there are sports and entertainment options in Niagara Falls on the Canadian side.
Restaino does not have an anchor tenant committed to a Niagara Falls, New York arena. In 2025, Restaino claimed that he had received a verbal commitment from the Ontario Hockey League that the city would be considered as part of a future league expansion. The mayor thinks there is interest in putting a junior team on the New York side. “In an anecdotal conversation, (OHL Commissioner) Bryan Crawford mentioned to me that there were two groups competing for it.” Not too far from Niagara Falls, Ontario is St, Catharines which also has a junior A OHL team. The distance between St. Catharines and Niagara Falls, Ontario is about 15 miles. Despite the nearby junior hockey teams and big time entertainment on the other side of the river, Restaino thinks an arena in Niagara Falls, New York would be an economic engine his city needs despite the cost of building the venue. The Niagara Falls, New York arena game has started.
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