Glens Falls arena seeks $200,000 from Warren County for design of new ice-plant system
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Summary
Jeff Mead told the committee the Harding Mazzotti Arena’s 1999 ice plant uses R‑22 refrigerant, faces parts scarcity and high reclaimed-R‑22 costs, and requested $200,000 from Warren County to fund Phase 2 engineering and design for a full system replacement; Phase 2 estimates range $750,000–$1.2 million before grants.
Jeff Mead, representing the Harding Mazzotti Arena and the Adirondack Thunder, asked Warren County’s occupancy-tax committee on Feb. 23 to consider $200,000 in county funds to support Phase 2 (engineering and design) of a project to replace the arena’s aging ice chiller plant and associated systems.
Mead said the arena currently operates a 1999 ice plant that uses R‑22 refrigerant. He noted R‑22 production is no longer allowed in the U.S., leaving arena operators dependent on reclaimed or recycled R‑22 at sharply higher prices; Mead said the system requires roughly 5,000 pounds of refrigerant and that reclaimed R‑22 has been running about $100–$200 per pound. He also described failing plant infrastructure: boilers dating to the early 1980s, two original air‑handling units installed in 1978, and floor and board‑glass assemblies that no longer meet modern standards.
Mead summarized Phase 1, a $40,000 feasibility study funded by a $20,000 grant and $20,000 local match. He said Phase 2 (engineering and design) is estimated in the transcript at between $750,000 and $1,200,000 before grant offsets, and that the city of Glens Falls has provided $200,000 toward design. Mead asked Warren County for a matching $200,000 to complete the design work so the arena can go to bid and then pursue construction grants.
During committee questioning, members sought clarity on the range of the Phase 2 estimate and the likely net cost after grants. Mead said staff expect grant funding to reduce the county’s share, that construction grants would be pursued after design is completed, and that the arena needs the design work within about 3–4 months to remain competitive for state and federal funding rounds. Staff indicated the request would be put on the next committee agenda as a formal action item and would require a county resolution.
Mead also told the committee that in the past five years the arena had spent roughly $400,000 maintaining the outdated system, underlining the potential financial risk of continued operation without replacement. The committee did not make a funding decision at the Feb. 23 meeting but moved to place the request on the next agenda for a formal vote.