Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Recreation Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Developer pitches combined ice rink and indoor pickleball center; commissioners say the price tag could be prohibitive
Summary
A Topeka resident presented plans for a year-round single-sheet ice rink paired with four indoor pickleball courts; presenters estimated large visitor and revenue potential, but commissioners said construction and operating costs—estimated by commissioners at $10–$15 million—mean the county should study feasibility and seek private partners.
Mike Iken presented a concept for a combined, year-round single-sheet ice rink and an adjacent four-court indoor pickleball facility during the Shawnee County Board of County Commissioners work session on May 4.
Iken said the complex would host youth and adult hockey, open skate, sled hockey, curling and broomball, and he projected heavy use. "We would estimate that the amount of traffic this facility would receive would be somewhere in the neighborhood of 750,000, to 1,000,000 on an annual basis," Iken said. He asked commissioners to consider the concept and to permit staff-level study of development and operating costs so private-sector partners could be engaged.
Architect Mike Hampton of SDG Architecture and Interiors showed conceptual site plans sited near the county aquatic center and 21st Street, describing a single ice sheet with roughly 500 seats, locker rooms, concessions and a central lobby, plus four indoor pickleball courts and rentable party/event rooms. The presenters included preliminary revenue assumptions for ice rentals, pickleball court rental, concessions and sponsorships.
Commissioner Kevin Cook challenged the financial assumptions and practicality of public funding. Cook said construction and maintenance costs would be substantial and noted county revenue constraints, stating that about "87% of our budget comes from property tax." He added that the legislature had recently limited counties’ options and said, "These taxes are a joke. Hope you enjoy ripping us off," arguing that without major private sponsorship he could not support county funding. Both Cook and Commissioner Aaron Mays said similar projects typically carry multi‑million-dollar price tags; Cook and Mays referenced a likely $10 million–$15 million construction range.
Commissioners did not vote on the proposal. They directed staff to examine the concept further — to analyze potential development and operational costs, to evaluate private- and nonprofit-management options and to check financial models and comparable facilities. Commissioner Cook suggested pursuing private commitments before the county considers funding. Presenters offered to provide detailed estimates and to meet with county staff and potential private partners to refine revenue and cost projections.
No formal motion or appropriation was made; commissioners agreed to "look at numbers" and keep the proposal at study level for now.
