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Redmond council weighs mid-scale ice rink or ribbon, staff points to $1M–$10M range
Summary
Staff presented three scales for a new downtown ice facility — a small replacement ($1–2M), a mid-scale plaza rink (~$5–7.5M) and an ice ribbon (~$9–10M); Urban Renewal funds include roughly $7M for family recreation and council signaled interest in mid-scale options pending lifecycle and maintenance analysis.
Redmond city staff outlined options on Tuesday for replacing the city’s failing seasonal ice rink, presenting cost and site examples and asking council for a direction on scale and funding.
Planner Megan walked the council through case studies: a Logan, Utah permanent rink (6,300 sq ft, built recently for about $6.5 million), several ice‑ribbon projects (one cited at $9 million), and mid‑sized downtown facilities that convert to roller surfaces in summer. Staff estimated a small like‑for‑like replacement could cost $1–2 million; a mid‑scale downtown rink with plaza amenities could fall in the $5–7.5 million range; a full ice ribbon or larger downtown ribbon facility could reach $9–10 million depending on site prep and land costs.
Funding and trade‑offs: Staff said the Urban Renewal plan includes about $7 million allocated to family recreation and that additional sources — tourism grants, state/federal recreation grants, sponsorships and naming rights — could supplement local funds. Megan told the council that communities typically aim for break-even operations on these facilities and that operational revenues vary by size and program mix.
Why it matters: Councilors framed the rink as a downtown catalytic amenity that could draw families, events and tourism, but also noted opportunity costs — spending Urban Renewal dollars here could limit other redevelopment investments. Council asked staff to return with lifecycle and maintenance estimates, refined cost ranges for specific candidate sites and a clearer revenue/recovery model.
Council direction: Several members favored a mid-scale option that could grow with demand; staff identified Centennial parking lot and the soon-to-be‑vacant RPD site as candidate locations within a few blocks of the downtown hotel that could support a boutique downtown rink. Staff will return with more detailed analysis, including longevity and annual maintenance costs, and a list of likely funding sources.
Quote: Megan summarized the trade-offs: “Depending on the amenities, a mid-scale project could be in the $5 to $7.5 million range; a ribbon-type approach is upward of $9 million.”
Next steps: Staff will investigate lifespan, maintenance, site acquisition implications and possible grant or sponsorship matches and return to council with a more detailed financing and operations plan. No appropriation or site decision was made at the meeting.
