Warwick approves skate-rental concession at new City Hall plaza rink; city to receive 10% of rentals

The Warwick City Council voted to approve a two-season concession for skate rental services at the Greenwood Credit Union City Hall Plaza rink, awarding the contract to Avacorp Inc., doing business as Sandy Lane Sports, the Department of Public Works said. The company will keep 90% of skate-rental sales and remit 10% to the city; skate rentals were listed in the bid at $10 per pair.

City officials and council members said the arrangement will let a private, experienced skate-rental operator run the service while producing some revenue for the city during the rink’s initial years of operation.

Why it matters: The concession moves operational risk — buying inventory, sharpening and repairing skates, staffing the rental desk — to a private vendor while giving the city an early, predictable revenue share as the administration gauges attendance. Council members pressed for clarity about oversight, reporting and whether the city should operate rentals in-house.

The Department of Public Works presented Sandy Lane Sports as the only responsive bidder. Tom Wirt, the DPW supervisor who handled the procurement, said the vendor…