Fireside Roll-Arena

The Fireside Roll-Arena was a legendary indoor roller rink in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, that operated from 1975 to 1985. Located on Roselle Road between Higgins Road and Bode Road, it was once listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest indoor roller rink.

The entire building spanned 60,000 square feet with a massive 26,789-square-foot skating floor made of 1.5-inch tongue-and-groove rock maple. Attractions included a unique concrete roller coaster feature, a snack shop, and music powered by a Rodgers Olympic Theater organ and live organists/DJs.

There are mentions in articles noting the location housed “an electronic video games area” but there are few details about type or quantity of games. In 1982 the north portion of the building was reportedly  reconfigured to include a Chuck E. Cheese restaurant which lasted until 1987. This was later followed in the 1990s by Caesarland, which was an arcade venue owned by the Little Caesar pizza chain.

The rink closed in 1985 primarily due to soaring liability insurance costs. Users on social media and historical groups widely share a consensus that the Fireside was a beloved local landmark for teenage hangouts, weekend skates, and birthday parties during the 1970s and 1980s.

References:

1. https://forgottenrollerrinksofthepast.com/Fireside%20IL.html
2. https://ourlocalhistory.wordpress.com/2011/01/23/skating-away-at-the-fireside-roller-rink/