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Meridian staff propose phased fee increases at HomeCourt to reduce subsidy; council favors larger, faster rise
Summary
City staff proposed raising day-pass and membership rates at HomeCourt in two phases to improve cost recovery; staff estimate the facility’s cost recovery fell from 49% in FY23 to a projected 38% in FY25 and proposed raising hourly court rental to align with regional comparables.
City recreation staff proposed a two-phase plan June 17 to increase fees at HomeCourt, Meridian’s indoor sports facility, to raise revenue and reduce the annual subsidy the city pays for operations.
Garrett (project manager, Recreation) told the council the current fee structure—carried over from the facility’s previous operator—has not increased in about a decade and that cost recovery has declined. “In FY23 our cost recovery is approximately 49%… FY24 it went down to 45%… and in FY25 we’re projected to have a 38%,” Garrett said.
Phase 1 would raise day-pass rates from the current tiers of $2/$3/$4 to $3/$4/$5 and increase membership tiers to $21/$28/$35 (maintaining the prior ratio). Staff also proposed lifting hourly practice rental from $45 to $65 per court and event rental (closing courts to public drop-in) to $75 per court. Phase 2 would enact an additional, smaller increase the following year; staff said the two-step approach is intended to avoid a single large price jump that could depress use.
Council reaction ranged from support for raising fees to suggestions the city go directly to the larger Phase 2 increases. Councilman Schaer recommended considering immediately adopting the Phase 2 fees, arguing the facility is long overdue for larger increases; Councilman Taylor and others said they preferred publishing the higher Phase 2 number for public hearing and deliberation. “To keep our same volumes, we didn't really want to just put up right now… we're trying to be strategic about it,” Garrett said of the two-step approach.
Why it matters: Staff framed the increases as part of a broader effort to reduce the facility subsidy. Garrett said the proposal would cut the subsidy by raising membership and day-pass rates, increasing rental charges and capturing more revenue from sponsorships, concession/beverage contracts and targeted rentals during low-use periods.
Staff also noted the city has already reduced some operating costs, including lowering cleaning expenses by about $60,000 for FY26 compared with earlier estimates. Garrett said comparable indoor court facilities in the region charge roughly $64 per court per hour; the proposal’s $65–$75 hourly rates would put HomeCourt in line with similar venues.
Next steps: Staff sought council feedback and said they expect to post the Phase 1 proposal and bring it back for a public hearing before final adoption, with a target effective date around Sept. 1 if approved. Councilmembers requested additional analysis on nonresident membership volumes, nonprofit discounts and final revenue projections before formal adoption.
