Post by xislander on Oct 21, 2004 15:03:13 GMT -6
Oct. 20, 2004, 1:16AM
Ice rink slated to re-open next month
Group plans to rename facility 'Space City Ice Station'
By THAYER EVANS
Chronicle Correspondent
A group of investors working to save an ice rink in Friendswood since last spring expect to have it reopened by mid-November under a new name.
Last week, the Space City Group received a loan commitment of $1.8 million from a lender to buy Texas Ice Stadium, 18150 Gulf Freeway, from Group 1 Automotive Inc., spokesman Tom Worthen said. The group is renaming it "Space City Ice Station."
"Finally, it's come together and is going to happen," said Worthen, 48, a Seabrook resident. "We're moving forward."
Worthen said the new ownership also is purchasing a 6 1/2 -acre tract west of the facility from developer Andy Weiner for future expansion and parking. In turn, he said 2.3 acres of that property will be sold to Group 1 as part of the group's deal to purchase the stadium.
Worthen said the entire transaction will cost the group around $2.5 million, with investors pitching in the rest of the money.
"(Our lender) is getting all the paperwork and everything organized to finalize the loan so we can close on it in the next three to four weeks," he said.
Texas Ice Stadium, which closed abruptly in March because of mechanical problems with its rink, was purchased by Group 1 in June from Skadium Inc.
Group 1 owns Lexus of Clear Lake, which is adjacent to the facility.
The Space City Group consists of Lisa Fedick, owner of an ice rink in Bridgeport, Conn., and Sam Root, an ice-rink builder from Novi, Mich., a suburb of Detroit, as well as five investors from the Clear Lake area, Worthen said.
"We're confident this is going to be a success," he said.
Worthen said the new ownership group is close to hiring a general manager to oversee the facility. He said that announcement could come within the next week.
"He's a local guy," Worthen said. "He's got good business experience and is a very good people person."
When the stadium reopens in mid-November, Worthen said, the rink only will be available to the groups that had previously used the facility before it closed last spring. He said it will be open to the general public in mid-December.
Construction crews have begun making repairs to the facility's rink, Worthen said. He said that project will cost nearly $300,000, which will be paid for with the loan to the Space City Group.
Work under way
This week, Worthen said, crews will start laying refrigeration piping in the ground for the rink, which should take three weeks to finish.
Beyond repairs to the facility, the new ownership group wants to improve other aspects of the stadium, Worthen said.
He said there will be an expanded grill and possibly restaurant-style seating overlooking the ice.
"There will be a friendly atmosphere. It's going to be where people want and enjoy spending their money at this facility," Worthen said.
He said Lexus of Clear Lake will be the stadium's title sponsor, meaning its logo will be on the rink's center ice and the facility's signage.
For Worthen and other supporters of the facility, the day the facility reopens can't come soon enough.
"It's been one of those things that's been so draining and so much work because of all the obstacles, that now more of the excitement is getting it over with," Worthen said.
Happy about plans
League City resident Preston Lewis, whose 7-year-old son, Charles Douie Lewis, played hockey at the facility before it closed, said he is "ecstatic" about its reopening. He said he and his son have been driving to Sugar Land twice a week for hockey practices.
Lewis said that drive usually takes 45 minutes each way, but can take longer depending on traffic.
"Last week, we sat there for an hour because of an accident," said Lewis, 58, an engineer who has lived in League City for 15 years. "We never did make it to practice."
Lewis said the closing of the stadium has had a big impact on those involved with it. He said he was always confident it would reopen.
"They (some of the new owners) assured us from the beginning there would be hockey back in Clear Lake," he said. "They kept telling us to keep our skates sharp."
Ice rink slated to re-open next month
Group plans to rename facility 'Space City Ice Station'
By THAYER EVANS
Chronicle Correspondent
A group of investors working to save an ice rink in Friendswood since last spring expect to have it reopened by mid-November under a new name.
Last week, the Space City Group received a loan commitment of $1.8 million from a lender to buy Texas Ice Stadium, 18150 Gulf Freeway, from Group 1 Automotive Inc., spokesman Tom Worthen said. The group is renaming it "Space City Ice Station."
"Finally, it's come together and is going to happen," said Worthen, 48, a Seabrook resident. "We're moving forward."
Worthen said the new ownership also is purchasing a 6 1/2 -acre tract west of the facility from developer Andy Weiner for future expansion and parking. In turn, he said 2.3 acres of that property will be sold to Group 1 as part of the group's deal to purchase the stadium.
Worthen said the entire transaction will cost the group around $2.5 million, with investors pitching in the rest of the money.
"(Our lender) is getting all the paperwork and everything organized to finalize the loan so we can close on it in the next three to four weeks," he said.
Texas Ice Stadium, which closed abruptly in March because of mechanical problems with its rink, was purchased by Group 1 in June from Skadium Inc.
Group 1 owns Lexus of Clear Lake, which is adjacent to the facility.
The Space City Group consists of Lisa Fedick, owner of an ice rink in Bridgeport, Conn., and Sam Root, an ice-rink builder from Novi, Mich., a suburb of Detroit, as well as five investors from the Clear Lake area, Worthen said.
"We're confident this is going to be a success," he said.
Worthen said the new ownership group is close to hiring a general manager to oversee the facility. He said that announcement could come within the next week.
"He's a local guy," Worthen said. "He's got good business experience and is a very good people person."
When the stadium reopens in mid-November, Worthen said, the rink only will be available to the groups that had previously used the facility before it closed last spring. He said it will be open to the general public in mid-December.
Construction crews have begun making repairs to the facility's rink, Worthen said. He said that project will cost nearly $300,000, which will be paid for with the loan to the Space City Group.
Work under way
This week, Worthen said, crews will start laying refrigeration piping in the ground for the rink, which should take three weeks to finish.
Beyond repairs to the facility, the new ownership group wants to improve other aspects of the stadium, Worthen said.
He said there will be an expanded grill and possibly restaurant-style seating overlooking the ice.
"There will be a friendly atmosphere. It's going to be where people want and enjoy spending their money at this facility," Worthen said.
He said Lexus of Clear Lake will be the stadium's title sponsor, meaning its logo will be on the rink's center ice and the facility's signage.
For Worthen and other supporters of the facility, the day the facility reopens can't come soon enough.
"It's been one of those things that's been so draining and so much work because of all the obstacles, that now more of the excitement is getting it over with," Worthen said.
Happy about plans
League City resident Preston Lewis, whose 7-year-old son, Charles Douie Lewis, played hockey at the facility before it closed, said he is "ecstatic" about its reopening. He said he and his son have been driving to Sugar Land twice a week for hockey practices.
Lewis said that drive usually takes 45 minutes each way, but can take longer depending on traffic.
"Last week, we sat there for an hour because of an accident," said Lewis, 58, an engineer who has lived in League City for 15 years. "We never did make it to practice."
Lewis said the closing of the stadium has had a big impact on those involved with it. He said he was always confident it would reopen.
"They (some of the new owners) assured us from the beginning there would be hockey back in Clear Lake," he said. "They kept telling us to keep our skates sharp."