Casper council hears fundraising progress as second ice sheet's cost sits at $16.4M; staff to study funding in budget process

Casper City staff and fundraising leaders updated the City Council on Wednesday about plans for a second sheet of ice at the Casper Ice Arena and sought direction on whether to extend the hockey club's fundraising deadline.

Zulima Malo Lopez, director of Parks, Recreation and Building, told the council that design work by HGG Architects and subsequent value engineering by a construction manager-at-risk have produced a revised construction estimate of $16,400,000 for the two-sheet project. The city's original contribution that council approved in prior years was $3,200,000, Lopez said; the club and its partners are expected to raise the balance.

The fundraising team from the Casper Amateur Hockey Club, led by Glenda Thomas, reported that the campaign had $5.725 million in signed pledges and an additional donor pledge that, if confirmed, would bring commitments close to $6,725,000. "We're getting really close to being able to do that," Thomas said, adding the club has delayed collecting cash until it reaches a roughly 70% campaign threshold.

The club and staff described a series of cost- and design-stage changes: an initial feasibility study produced a larger early estimate, a later updated study and an architect-led design produced a higher-cost concept, and then a value-engineering effort with Samson (the construction manager-at-risk) reduced the program to the current estimate. Thomas said she is confident in Samson's capital cost numbers.

Councilors asked detailed questions about timing, the club's signed pledges, and whether staff could absorb some work in-house to reduce cost. Janine (staff) gave an in-kind estimate of $1,024,800 for self-performed work such as earthworks, parking-lot improvements and landscaping; staff said concrete work and certain utilities would still be contracted out. Lopez said in-kind city work and re-timing scheduled ice-plant capital items could lower near-term capital needs for the arena and avoid replacement costs in the near term.

Several councilors discussed whether to approve another deadline extension for the club to reach its fundraising goal. Fundraising leaders asked for a six-month extension to allow ground-breaking in spring or early summer; council debate ranged from six months to a full year, with multiple members noting legislative uncertainty at the state level that could sharply affect city revenues. No formal binding extension vote was taken at the meeting.

Instead of approving a specific new deadline, council members gave staff direction to evaluate options as part of the city's standard budget and capital-planning process and to return with recommendations. "We would be asking to move said," Janine said of capital items and added staff will bring those options forward during the budget review. Staff also told the council an updated business plan for recreation enterprises, including the ice arena, will be presented in April.

The council did not take a formal vote tonight to change the city's prior financial commitment; rather, members signaled conditional support for giving the club runway to finish fundraising if the budget review shows the city can safely re-time or reprioritize capital. Fundraising and design teams said they will continue soliciting commitments and working with staff on a path forward.

What happens next: staff will bring a recommendation to council as part of the upcoming budget process and will present an updated business plan in April; the fundraising team will continue to firm up pledges and prepare design materials for donor review.