Robert Esche represented the United States nine times during his playing career. In addition to facing off against the best teams on the international arena, he also experienced the unique flavors provided by local hosts in places like Bern, Switzerland and Cologne, Germany.

Now that Esche is helping lead the organizing committee that will host the 2024 IIHF Women’s World Championship next month, he wants to showcase the best that Utica and the surrounding area has to offer when they welcome the world. 

In addition to hosting some of the top women’s hockey talent in the world, Esche and his team want to create a memorable environment for fans at the Subaru World Championship Village. The area located across the street from the Adirondack Bank Center will be a hub of activity with live music, interactive games, local food and fun for fans of all ages.

“We’ve modeled the Subaru World Championship Village after Olympic villages around the globe,” said Esche, who was a member of the 2006 U.S. Olympic Team that competed in Torino, Italy.

“The area will be transformed into a festival during the entire event to celebrate the World Championship in Utica. There’s a beer garden and we’ll have a bunch of interactive games for the kids and families, from street hockey games to outdoor curling.”

Admission is free and open daily to everyone from 3 until 11 p.m. Once inside visitors will be able to watch tournament highlights and pregame shows on large-screen televisions while enjoying local food and beverages and listening to live music from bands coming in from Nashville and New York City. 

There will also be plenty of activities for the entire family from street hockey games to outdoor curling. There’s even a Ferris wheel to give fans a bird’s eye view of Utica’s skyline and beyond.

“I’ve been very fortunate to represent our country nine times and it was really neat seeing how every host country does it differently,” said Esche, a Whitesboro native who played nine seasons in the NHL before ending his career in Russia.
 

“I really thought those were very cool experiences that showed what was going on in that area. That’s basically how I view the Subaru World Championship Village. It’s hyper-focused on entertainment creating a great family experience in and around the arena. I think everybody is going to be really proud of it.”

For more information on the Subaru World Championship Village, including a schedule of games and musical acts (as they are released), visit adkbankcenter.com/iihf.