Dobson Arena in Vail gets makeover with expanded seating while preserving historic elements

Vail's mayor is hoping the newly renovated Dobson Arena will attract new visitors. The renovations include expanded seating and new bathrooms, as well as concession areas. 

The arena serves an entire community, according to Vail, that includes skating, hockey, concerts, and other activities. 

The $50 million renovations included upgrading the concert experience while preserving some historic elements like the ceiling. 

"It's not just what you can see and what you can't see. In the past, our capacity to have concerts here was limited by a few factors. Now that we're able to put in real professional rigging, we can put in better sound and light," said Vail Mayor Barry Davis. 

Dobson is also home to the Vail Yeti, a semi-professional hockey team. Davis said the new ice-making machines make it possible to go from a concert on one day to a hockey game the next.