McAllen, Dallas Stars unveil multipurpose pavilion to help bring hockey to Valley

McALLEN — It was all smiles and hockey sticks here at the new Multipurpose Pavilion on Buddy Owens Boulevard.

The City of McAllen — along with its Parks & Recreation department — hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday to unveil its new-and-improved multipurpose pavilion.

They weren’t alone in the cause as representatives from NHL hockey squad, the Dallas Stars, were also in attendance as the makeover for the pavilion was a collaborative effort that was months in the making.

The purpose? 

To bring the game of hockey to the Rio Grande Valley.

The pavilion was designed to be a “flexible and modern recreational venue” that will host hockey programs, fitness classes, youth activities, community events and more, according to a release by the City of McAllen.

Denny A. Meline, the McAllen Parks & Recreation director, said that when the city met with the Dallas Stars some time back, the vision was to provide an outreach for children to participate in not only after-school programs, but as well as the sport of hockey.

“So, if (the Stars) can get more kids involved, especially kids that have never seen it or don’t have the opportunity to play hockey, that’s their mission, right?” Meline said. “That’s why they’re here today.”

For a lot of us sports fans in the Valley, we all know that football and baseball, as well as soccer reign supreme. 

However, as the Valley continues to grow, the more it is exposed to great things such as hockey. More so, with this pavilion and rink, children who may have seen hockey in video games and on T.V. can now witness it through their own eyes.

Representatives from the Dallas Stars were present during the event, more notably, Al Montoya — vice president of cultural growth and strategy for the Stars — as well as Matt Bowman, who is the chief revenue officer.

Oh yeah, the Stars’ mascot — Victor E. Green — was a bit hard to miss as he was a fan favorite with the children who were there.

“I couldn’t be happier. I think this, sounds like it all came together right at the finish line, but to look and see where we’re at now, it’s pretty exciting,” Bowman said. “It’s a beautiful first-class facility.”

That it is as the pavilion — more notably the rink — got a complete makeover. 

Back in the day, the concrete showed some wear and tear after years of use. In addition, the inner walls of the rink were painted with a faded gray.

The partnership and a bit of TLC — tender loving care — went into making the facility look like a legitimate place to play hockey.

The walls are now painted with a green that is similar to the Dallas Stars’ colorway — their logo is also nicely imprinted, too. The electronic scoreboard is a nice touch that adds a modern element to the pavilion and rink.

But, like in hockey, all players — or pieces — on the rink need that extra “push” to really bring the “game” home.

Nathaniel Mata, founder and president of RGV Roller, was the thread that helped put this operation together.

Mata, who is synonmous with “hockey in the Valley,”  started RGV Roller in 2020 to bring the game he loves so much to the community he cares deeply about.

“I spend a lot of time here, our kids spend a lot of time, but for the people that I, you know, care about so much to share this moment, it’s really special,” Mata said. 

His nonprofit organization brings hockey to those who are interested. The club hosts trainings, practices and more to those interested in the game.

He credited the McAllen and Stars’ partnership to making this a reality. That said, Mata said the entire process has been “surreal.”

“Anybody can love this game,” the California product said with a smile brighter than the Valley sun. “You just got to give them a stick, give them an opportunity to play.

"This game is for everybody, and it always will be if you make it for them.”