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 has operated in Warwick for decades and can provide “turnkey” staffing and equipment so the city does not have to buy and maintain skate inventory or hire and train seasonal staff. Wirt said the contract covers two winter seasons and that the $10 rental price was included in the bid materials.

Council members asked about vendor outreach and why only one firm bid. Wirt said the city reached out to multiple vendors — two in Rhode Island and two in Massachusetts — and followed up with nonrespondents. He said some vendors declined because the rink is new and they lacked a financial history for the location; others said they were not interested in expanding.

Several council members pressed the administration on how the city will verify the vendor’s sales and remittances. Kristen Moretti, Public Works, said the vendor must operate a point-of-sale system capable of producing transaction-level reports. The vendor will submit a monthly sales report and accompanying payment (a check) to the city treasurer; the treasurer’s office will verify the check against the reported sales. Moretti said modern payment platforms typically generate receipts that can be included in the vendor’s reporting.

Council members also asked about other revenue streams. The RFP specified that the vendor would receive revenue only from skate rentals; admission sales would not be shared. In committee, city staff said the administration had not set an admission price at the time the RFP was issued and subsequently discussed a likely admission range of $5 to $10. The vendor will receive no portion of admission sales under the current concession language.

Council members raised additional concerns before the vote: the single bid, whether the vendor should pay rent for the use of city property, the contract length (two seasons), and whether the vendor may sell additional merchandise. Wirt and Bill Vicente, the mayor’s chief of staff, said the RFP allowed limited merchandise sales with city approval but that skate aids (walkers/trainers) would be provided by the city. Vicente added the vendor must provide proof of general liability and workers’ compensation insurance and that the city, as certificate holder, will require those policies before operation.

The contract requires the vendor to submit monthly sales reports and remit the 10% share by check to the treasurer’s office. Council members also asked staff to ensure the city has a designated revenue code for skate-rental receipts so collections will be visible in the city’s budget.

Council debate and vote: During the full council meeting the item was placed on the consent/regular calendar and debated. Supporters said the concession reduces city expenses and operational risk during the rink’s start-up period and provides immediate, if modest, revenue. Opponents said the city already staffs the facility for public skate sessions and could operate rentals in-house to keep a greater share of revenue; other members expressed concern about having only one bidder. After discussion, the council approved the concession by roll call, 7–2.

What’s next: The vendor must provide the required insurance certificates and the monthly sales reports. The treasurer’s office will receive and verify remittances. The concession runs for two winter seasons under the current agreement; the city retains the option to revisit the arrangement in future seasons.