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<br /> ~ity will buy one full
<br /> ~heet at ,Quad center
<br /> Peter Bodley Erickson, executive director of the
<br /> anaging editor sports commission. has touted as
<br /> the largest in the country.
<br /> 1_ Rapids City Council has But it's now up to these comm~.
<br /> m ted to one full sheet of ice nities to decide whether to commit
<br /> the proposed Quad Ice Center. to one full sheet, a portion of one,
<br /> The four-sheet "ice center has or none at all.
<br /> lien proposed at the National A late July to early August
<br /> ports Center in Blaine by the deadline has been set by the sports
<br /> innesota Amateur Sports commission for these decisions.
<br /> Commission, which operates t~e That commitment includes a pay-
<br /> (orts center. ment of $500,000 for each sheet of
<br /> Coon Rapids has been one of ice, plus 2,080 hours of ice time _a
<br /> everal area communities that h~ve year on each sheet over a 20. to 2)-
<br /> been meeting since last fall to bnng year period.
<br /> I reality the concept of the four. Council commits to a full
<br /> heet ice faclhty. WhlCh Paul
<br /> .. sheet at Quad Center
<br /> 1 Ice
<br /> c~ontinued from Page 1 another sheet in at Cook," towards the construction cost, plus
<br /> 1 : '01e dl'adlin~ has becn imposed Thompson said. make a 20-25 year commitment for
<br /> Councilmember Tim Howe said 2,080 hours per rink per year.
<br /> to cllJ.b1c construction to begin this that the sports commission would The amateur sports commission
<br /> Lill with an opening in time for the be marketing the arena and selling will also sell 2,080 hours of ice
<br /> 1 1997 hockey season. It will also ice time, just as it does the National time during the year, the bulk com-
<br /> make the project eligible for Sports Cente~. It would also be incr in the summer months, tradi.
<br /> $)00,000 in state "Mighty Ducks" bringing to the new arena hockey ti;nally the lean period for ice
<br /> i::e arena funding, Erickson said. tournaments it presently runs at usage; the cities would have no
<br /> I. The council \vas unanimous in other facilities in the Twin Cities, responsibility.
<br /> its decision to go with one full he said. The majority of the cities ice
<br /> sheet. Cou nc i I member Larry Councilmember Dave Soltis time would be during the peak win.
<br /> Jorgensen 'was absent. doubted that the city alone could tcr months, some 1,320 hours, acc-
<br /> 1 But the council also directed fill all of its 2,080 allotted hours a cording to the ice center utilization
<br /> staff to seck out potential users for year, at least to start with. which plan.
<br /> up to 25 percent on a shorHerm, was why he wanted staff to find The sports commission staff will
<br /> t\1;"O- or thrce-year agreement. another user for up to 25 perent of handle bookino the ice time, as
<br /> 1 In the council's view, spending the ice time on that sheet. well as other programming and
<br /> 5500,000 for a sheet of ice at the The council will revisit thc issue marketing functions at the ice cen-
<br /> Quad center made more economic at its Aug. 6 meeting when staff ter, according to Erickson.
<br /> scnse thJ.n spending the estimated will repon back on potential other The commitment of ice time, at
<br /> 1 $2 million it would cost to con4 users of the city's sheet. $125 an hour, translates into some
<br /> struct an addition to the city's Cook At that time, the council will $260.000 a year for Coon Rapids
<br /> ke Arena as well as upgrade the also be asked to decide where its wi th its one cheet.
<br /> prescnt facility. $500.000 payment for the full sheet Anoka County will sell the
<br /> 1 l\loreover. at the Quad the city will come from; staff has recom4 bonds to build the arena_ As part of
<br /> '.\'ould not have responsibility for mended an inter-fund loan. the agreement, the sports comrnis.
<br /> maintenance of the facility, accord- At present, Coon Rapids and sion will asume control of the
<br /> ing to councilrncmbers. Blaine are expected to each take county's Columbia Arena and
<br /> 1 And even if all the $]25 an hour one sheet of ice R the Blaine City operate the facility. The remaining
<br /> ice tim~ to which the city has com. Council is scheduled to vote on $140.000 in debt on Columbia will
<br /> mitted. is not sold and the city has July 25 - while the cities of be included in the construction
<br /> to p<1)' the balance, then coun- Mounds View, Arden Hills, New costs of the Quad, Erickson said.
<br /> 1 cilmcrnbcrs said they looked on Brighton and Shoreview. serving According to Erickson, the COffi-
<br /> that expense as a subsidy much like the Mounds View and lrondale mission would only operate
<br /> the city provides. at Cook and for hockey associations, will also pur. Columbia as an ice facility in the
<br /> other sports that use city facilities. chase a sheet. prime time months, Ice time
<br /> I The council was told that the The user(s) of the fourth sheet presently sold at Columbia at other
<br /> Coon Rapids Hockey Association has remained up the air. Brooklyn times of year would be switched to
<br /> board had voted unanimously in Park looks most likely to have this the Quad, he said.
<br /> favor of the city purchasing a full sheet, but Forest Lake and As part of the master agreement,
<br /> .. sheet. Centennial/Lino Lakes remain in the Coon Rapids councH wants it
<br /> l\1ayor Bill Thompson said he the picture, according to Erickson. spelled out that Columbia will
<br /> had received. a phone call from one Under the master agreement, the indeed be closed apart from the
<br /> prominent hockey person in town draft of which is now before the winter months, and none of the
<br /> 1 opposed to city participation in the cities for consideration, the users of operating costs of Columbia will be
<br /> Quad project. .'But 'we are not each rink will pay $500.000 included in the Quad budget.
<br /> going to spend $2 million to put
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