JoCo to get two more sheets of ice???

The Summit · Post by **The Summit** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 11:38 pm

Being from StL, and having kids that enjoy playing hockey, I am amazed that someone is proposing to build another pair of hockey rinks in OP when there are already enough over there. JoCo has 5 sheets in three facilities and even though they are relatively busy, they have already saturated the JoCo market and depend on greater KC to keep them busy.

There are no other ice facilities in the rest of metro KC with the exception of one in the northland.

Do people realize how many parents would love to not have to drive from Lee's Summit or Liberty or Blue Springs to Shawnee or OP for hockey leagues? Do people realize how much the sport could grow if a nice facility were to be constructed in the east or north suburbs rather than building another one too close to existing ones and run somebody out of business?

In StL they are all over the place and accessible to most of the metro.

Call it sprawl if you want, but I for one am pleased to see so much new development in areas beside JoCo like hospitals, medical buildings, upscale stores and restaurants. This metro is finally staring to even out and not be so lopsided.

I hope some of these people with money look east and north before just going to JoCo so I and about a million other suburban Missouri residents can enroll in hockey again without having to drive 40 miles.

anyway...the story...

Ice rink approved for Overland Park trade center
By ERIN FITZGERALD
The Kansas City Star

Another ice rink could be sliding into Johnson County.

The City Council on Monday approved a special-use permit to allow an ice rink facility for recreational use at the Overland Park International Trade Center, 6800 W. 115th St.

Two regulation-size ice sheets are proposed to be installed in the exhibition hall of the center.

Tim Locher, general manager of the Overland Park International Trade Center, last month declined to comment about the center's plans. He couldn't be reached for comment this week.

Activities planned in the hall include recreational league hockey, hockey tournaments, figure skating competition and recreational skating, according to a city staff report. Bleacher-style seating could accommodate 1,450 people.

A 22,200-square-foot addition to accommodate the two ice sheets is proposed to be added to the existing exhibition hall. But the city would need to approve final plans for the addition before it could be built.

Ice rink activities are planned for 65 to 75 percent of the year and the exhibition hall would be used for trade shows, exhibits and conferences the rest of the time, the report also said.

David Groulx, general manager of Canlan Ice Sports Kansas City, located at 19900 Johnson Drive in Shawnee, said he doesn't think the area can support another facility with two sheets of ice.

"I know right now, that this area is struggling just keeping the facilities that they have here full," Groulx said.

Groulx said it's not difficult to sell ice time between 5 and 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, with skating and hockey associations as well as leagues.

"What do you do the rest of the time, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday with your ice sheets? You've got 52 weeks of that problem," Groulx said.

Groulx said a single-sheet facility with 2,500 to 4,000 seats in the area would make more sense because it could attract a minor pro ice hockey team or a good junior ice hockey team.

"To put two more sheets of ice in, I think would really be detrimental to someone's business, and it may be the new business, and I think they really need to research what they're doing and why they're doing it," Groulx said.

The county's two other ice rinks are Ice Chateau at 8788 Metcalf Ave. in Overland Park and Pepsi Ice Midwest at 12140 W. 135th St. also in Overland Park.

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To reach Erin Fitzgerald, call (816) 234-7722 or send e-mail to efitzgerald@kcstar.com.

StL_Dan · Post by **StL_Dan** » Fri Dec 05, 2003 9:58 am

Let's not forget about the rink out west off Johnson Drive.

But your point is well taken, Summit.

Question for you...do any Missouri high schools in your neck of the woods have hockey programs such as Blue Valley and others in the OP area?

Post by **dangerboy** » Fri Dec 05, 2003 6:53 pm

Lee's Summit has one at the All Star Family Sports Arena, 291 Hwy and Colber Road. I know nothing about hockey so I don't know if the setup is appropriate, but I have been ice skating there. SportsCity in Blue Springs would be a good location, but it looks like they didn't leave themselves any room for expansion.