Fort Wayne, Ind. – Today, Mayor Tom Henry announced a long-awaited project is moving forward and will bring more than $14.1 million in private investment to the community.
“Our community has recognized for years the need for additional ice space to meet the needs of youth and adult hockey leagues, figure skaters and recreational skating. I am proud today to announce that this project, with its intention to bring a first-class facility Fort Wayne, gives us a chance to fill that need for the region,” said Mayor Henry.
A local development group, 3 Sheets Development, LLC, submitted plans today to develop 22 acres of land on Lima and Wells Streets, across from Glenbrook Commons. The first parcel to be developed will be a facility with three sheets of ice that the group calls “Spiece on Ice,” a reference to the successful basketball center located just a mile north on Lima, to indicate the sort of regional draw they expect to bring to the facility, as hockey leagues from several states will hold tournaments and events there.
“This proposed project will redevelop a brownfield site,” pointed out Mayor Henry. “This is the sort of investment and “in-fill” development we encourage in the City, and we will be participating by providing some infrastructure improvements in the way of a road and bike path along the Pufferbelly Trail.” Henry said the City’s commitment is expected to represent about $250,000 of this $12 million project.
The City signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the developers, which is not a final contract, but does represent the intent of all involved to work out the details of the project. The MOU, which will require the approval of the Park Board of Commissioners will be discussed at this Wednesday’s Board meeting with full support expected.
Three Sheets’ spokesman Todd Ramsey said the developers anticipate a quick pace on the project. “We want to break ground yet this fall and have the ice facility ready for the ’09 season, just about one year from now,” Ramsey said. “This will be the only 3-sheet facility in the entire region and we are thrilled to be bringing it to Fort Wayne, along with thousands of visitors and potential retail shoppers and restaurant diners.”
Third District City Councilman Tom Didier offered his support of the project. “I’m so excited that this is really coming to fruition,” said Didier. “I want to commend Mayor Henry and his administration for bringing this long-discussed project off the back burner and into the reality stage. This is nothing but a benefit for our community,” Didier said.
Part of the plans include a management firm to oversee both the new facility and the City-owned McMillen Ice Arena. Three Sheets is working with Canlan Ice Sports out of Canada for management services. McMillen has two sheets of ice, but Parks and Recreation Director Al Moll says one of those is in need of expensive repair and will likely be shut down. “It’s always hard for the City to stop doing something it’s done for a long time, and we’ve been in the ice business for 40 years,” said Moll. “This project makes it a little easier, since we know the community as a whole will still be served by even more ice, with more opportunity and the chance to better schedule four sheets if one management firm is handling the logistics of managing and operating both facilities.”
The City will still own the McMillen building and Moll said he and Mayor will be putting together a blue ribbon committee of citizens to study and suggest alternate programming which might be offered at the site or new uses for the portion of the building with the un-used sheet of ice.
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This sounds like it has the makings to be a real winner…
I disagree. This is something which should have been placed downtown, maybe next to Harrision Square?
Yes, but this is the world of reality. It’s tough to make a sports facility work. They would have had to wait forever to do it downtown. More than that… it wouldn’t have even been discussed.
I love the idea, I hate the location. OK, to be honest, the location makes perfect sense for the developers, but not for the city. It close to the ratty hotels that Hockey Mom’s and their kids are used to staying in. There is easy access from 69 and it is a great central location for tournaments to draw from the Chicago to Cleveland and Grand Rapids to Louisville. With three sheets of ice, scheduling a lot of games won’t be a problem either.
Glad to see that the “old rink” at McMillan is getting closed. I hope the city is smart about it though and turns it into a roller-hockey rink instead of tearing down the infastructure. That said, without two sheets long term at McMillan…its days are numbered, and giving management control to the outside firm eliminates competition and sets the McMillan Facilty up for failure without more investment.
As for location, In the “let’s build up downtown Era”, this idea should have been developed on the Omni Source site. I think some of the initial plans for the site by architects even called for such an idea. This is more of what downtown needed as opposed to a baseball stadium. I guess there is always hope, but the city just can’t support more than 4 or 5 sheets of ice unless there is a big hockey boom.
How about a speed skating rink. There’ s a young man here in Fort Wayne who’s working very hard too get team together. For more info. the McMillan ice rink.
That would be”a team” and “call the McMillanice rink, thank you!
Please read my response on Fort Wayne Politics. And if Dan wants to post it here I’d like that. Todd Ramsey couldn’t develop a Polaroid picture. Does anyone in old media do any investigation anymore? Sheesh!
Tom Wolf, CCHA
Three Sheets…to the wind?
Tom Wolf,
I hope you are so WRONG. I have seen and worked with with so many groups that have proposed rinks. Most all of them lacked a solid true business plan. Even with a BS plan they could not raise the money.
I have never heard of or Todd Ramsey outside of the rink so to me he is a new kid on the block. Just what I need!!!!!
JQT,
I follow all the local blogs, read and respond with care. As always it boils down to follow the money. Again, if you read my post on FWP call the DPS and ask about Ramsey. This guy is full of promises and no follow through. I’m always amazed that the local press that is dying can’t do journalism 101. Call DPS, if they tell you there’s no problems then contact me at president@ carroll-creek.com and I’ll give you our seven year history with this “developer”. An ice rink is a great idea, but somebody needs to do the follow up on this clown before they befriend him with tax breaks and incentives. What really cheeses me off is that this should have been been found out with just a 1/2 hour research into building in Allen County.
Tom
Wow, and one more thing. Nobody questions the mayor’s brother in being involved in this? The City gives up control of McMillan to a vested family member of the mayor and nobody questions that? Where the hell is city council in this?
Tom Wolf
That’s an interesting point. They are basically being handed the hockey business in town. “Spiece on Ice” isn’t totally accurate as Spiece did it all without any public funds and weren’t handed any business.
A similiar project went up in Wichita under Canlan and struggled then in September 2006 the City fired Canlan. Rink Management Services took over the project in September 2006 and in one year turned a profit after significant losses posted by Canlan.
We operate in a similar market in the City of Wichita and I strongly advise a consultation regarding the impending project. We can offer valuable insight to the development, design and the overall feasibility of the project.
If the McMillen Ice Arena transfers daily operation to a private management company we would like to be included in the RFP. Our history and reputation in the industry have made us the managers of choice for indoor rinks; outdoor rinks; privately-owned stand-alone rinks; privately-owned mall rinks; and foundation and municipal rinks. Our principals have an unparalleled reputation for customer service, quality of product and efficient operations. We have a proven track record of success
You can visit our website at http://www.rinkmanagement.com/ to review our credentials.
I can be reached anytime to discuss your options.
Thank you,
Carl Sasyn
Regional Manager
Rink Management Services Corporation
9400 Charter Crossing Suite D
Mechanicsville, VA 23116
csasyn@hotmail.com
Ok, as I understand it the only thing Spiece has wanted the city to do is put in a few sidewalks. What Spiece has done for the city is pay probably somewhere between $125,000 to $150,000 in property taxes yearly and give a well documented economic boost to FW.
So this is no “Spiece on Ice”… in fact, using that phrase is almost a case of rape. In reality it is, but I’m just trying to be gentle as per usual…
1) The city’s commitment is expected to represent about $250,000
2) The city will be participating by providing some infrastruture improvements in the way of a road and bike path along the Pufferbelly Trail.
3) Plans include a management firm to oversee both the new facility and the
City-owned McMillen Ice Arena.
I wish I could have been handed the city’s Parks and Recreation volleyball leagues initially for the Fair Play Volleyball leagues I run rather than having to slowly crush them into oblivion… It would have saved me some time.
This is not “Spiece on Ice”…
Maybe “crush them into oblivion” isn’t a gentle thing to say but the idea is that the people running the P&R operation don’t/didn’t have a drive to accomplish. Actually, I like them and have commiserated with them because they are more likely to have people abuse them for the mere fact that they are a city program and it’s almost like some people feel they are entitled to bitch at them because of that. When I get bad people I just take them off the mailing list… problem solved.
Oh… and I guess I should hammer the point being made re: “people feel they are entitled to bitch”… The point is that they are entitled to bitch because it is a socialist program. I’m not saying that the ice rink is that though… but when compared to the PV Field it does look more like “Spiece on Ice” in comparison…
And I don’t need to be included in those that would glory in seeing the downtown stuff fail. I can make a case that myself and River City are working to cause it to succeed more than some of its proponents and cheerleaders are doing. I’m just making a point about “Where is the effing drive to succeed?” That’s something that comes from inside.