Blyth Arena (Historic Site)

The site near the Palisades Tahoe village base marks where Blyth Arena once stood — the iconic ice arena that served as the centrepiece of the 1960 Winter Olympics. The arena itself was demolished in 1983, but historical markers near the village recall its role in the games.

The 1960 games were the first Winter Olympics to be televised live, and Blyth Arena's opening ceremonies were watched by millions across the United States. The arena later hosted concerts and events, with performers including The Grateful Dead in its final years of operation.

For visitors interested in Olympic history, the site combined with the Olympic Museum gives a sense of how dramatically the valley has been transformed from its 1960 profile to the full-scale resort of today.

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A story
Blyth Arena was the centrepiece of the 1960 Winter Olympics — at the time the largest clear-span roof structure in the world, covering 30,000 square feet without a single interior support column. It hosted figure skating and ice hockey during the games. The arena was demolished in 1983 after decades of use as a concert and events venue, but the site near the current village marks where Carol Heiss won figure skating gold and the US ice hockey team took silver.