Clarkson University

Cheel Arena
Potsdam, NY

Tickets

• Tickets cost $7 or $12 and are not available online. They may be ordered from the Cheel Arena box office (315-268-7750) if paid for with a credit card. Since Clarkson students are given free admission, games often sell out and it is advisable to buy tickets ahead of time.
• The visitors' sections are 11 and 14A on the diagram; 11 is more centered and farther from the Clarkson student section.

Directions

• From Troy: Take I-87 North to Exit 23. At the exit, go left and follow the signs leading to NY-28. Take NY-28 North to Indian Lake, where you pick up NY-30. Follow NY-30 to Tupper Lake, then take NY-3 West. After about 18 miles, take a right onto NY-56 North and follow it to Potsdam. At the second light after passing SUNY Potsdam, take a left on to US-11 South. Bear left at the intersection in front of the Clarkson Inn to stay on US-11. At the next major intersection (it is a little odd), go left and remain on US-11 until the main entrance to the Clarkson campus appears on the left (indicated by brick walls labeled "Clarkson University"). Enter the campus here and continue straight until you see a large parking lot on the right. Cheel Arena is in the campus center at the end of this parking lot. Distance: 200 miles.
• From Canton (St. Lawrence): Get on US-11 North. Follow US-11 all the way to Potsdam and take a right at the main entrance to the Clarkson campus (indicated by brick walls labeled "Clarkson University"). Continue straight until you see a large parking lot on the right. Cheel Arena is in the campus center at the end of this parking lot. Distance: 10 miles.

Arena

• Campus map: Cheel Arena is number 4, at far left center.
• Parking: The lot on the right just before Cheel Arena is available. There is also parking on the street behind the arena — use the campus entrance west of the main entrance on US-11.
• Seating: Cheel Arena seats 3,000. Since games are usually quite full, it may not be possible to change seats if you don't like your ticketed seats. Seats are individual molded seats without armrests, so it can get tight. There is standing room above the seats. Note: The large student crowd at Cheel is boisterous and somewhat hostile, especially if you're sitting near the student sections (14-19).
• Food: Concessions are located on the lobby side (home bench side) of the rink. Note that hot dogs are not available until after the game starts. Beer is available at Cheel, but not in the rink itself — Club 99, across the food court from the rink, serves alcohol. (The game will be on TV in Club 99 if you don't want to wait for an intermission.)

Hotels

• See http://www.st-lawrence.ny.us/business_directory/diningLodging.cgi.
• The three closest hotels are the Clarkson Inn, the Comfort Suites Canton and the Best Western University Inn. All of these are good — the Clarkson Inn is the nicest and most expensive of the three. The other two are situated more or less between Clarkson and St. Lawrence Universities. Another choice right in Potsdam is The Brambles Inn & Gardens.

Restaurants

• See http://northcountryguide.com/dining/potsdam.html.
• Eben's Hearth and Tardelli's are both good. There are also a Pizza Hut and a few fast food chain restaurants.

Other things to do

• Other sporting events at Clarkson
• Other events at Clarkson
• Events at St. Lawrence
• Shopping: There are very few places to shop in the Potsdam area. If you're willing to travel about 25 miles north to Massena, the St. Lawrence Centre mall has over 40 stores, a food court and public ice skating on an indoor rink.
• Movies: The Roxy in Potsdam and the American Theatre in Canton offer matinees on Saturday.
• The Mohawk Akwesasne Casino, about 35 miles northeast in Hogansburg, offers casino games and entertainment.
• Other: there are very few places to shop in the area, but there are some other attractions.