Looking for ice answers: City continues conversation on future of ice rinks in Bemidji

BEMIDJI-Bemidji's decades-old Neilson Reise Arena is on borrowed time, with even its ice making equipment set to be obsolete in the next few years.

With time on one of Bemidji's rinks running out and developments happening at other arenas around town, the City Council authorized the creation of a study all about ice last year. On Monday, Minneapolis-based 292 Design Group shared its finished study with the council, detailing market data and estimates on what it would take to renovate or replace existing facilities.

As part of the study, the firm met with various stakeholders, from Bemidji State Hockey hockey to the Bemidji Figure Skating Club, and reviewed the four arenas in operation today. Those four include:

• Neilson Reise Arena, built in 1964. The structure includes 47,500 square feet, with 28,500 square feet for a regular ice sheet and 19,000 square feet for Bemidji Curling Club.

• Nymore Arena, built in 1973, is owned by Bemidji Area Schools. The facility is used for Bemidji High School practices and also Bemidji youth hockey programs.

• The 193,000 square-foot Sanford Center. Owned by the city and managed by the Ames, Iowa-based company VenuWorks, the facility is home to BSU men's and women's hockey.

• The Bemidji Community Arena, owned by Bemidji Community Arena Corp. The building has been built in phases, starting in 2000. It's home to Bemidji High School hockey and the Bemidji Youth Hockey Association.

Ground was broken on a second sheet of ice at the BCA in August, with an opening expected in 2020.

With that addition, the city of Bemidji will have a total of five indoor ice sheets.

According to the study's authors, there isn't enough demand currently based on total usage hours to sustain five sheets of ice in the community.

However, Ward 2 Council member Mike Beard said the Sanford Center shouldn't be in the equation since it doesn't offer ice time the same way Neilson Reise, Nymore and the BCA do.

In his remarks, City Manager Nate Mathews both agreed with Beard's comments and noted how an expansion at the Sanford Center could work as a replacement for Neilson Reise.

"It was originally designed with two sheets, because it was customary to have two sheets in the industry, but we didn't because of the costs," Mathews said. "It wasn't designed as a community skating rink and we didn't build it as a community use rink. If a second sheet was there, we will have to make sure (Parks Director) Marcia Larson and VenuWorks are working together for all of those who use Neilson Reise."

"I think Neilson Reise has a very special role in the community," Larson said. "There are figure skaters and other programs there. Open hockey, open skates, BSU recreation, there's a broad base that uses it."
Were Neilson Reise to close because a replacement was in store, the Curling Club would still be able to operate its side of the building independently because it uses a different ice-making machine.

Picking the path forward

The choices for the city, according to the study, is to renovate Neilson Reise Arena, replace it, or add on to the Sanford Center with a new community sheet. The latter, the study shows, would cost about $10.4 million.

Along with the new sheet, the study included a concept design with bleachers for 300 seats, a lobby, some office space and concessions. The addition would be built on the rear of the Sanford Center and feature a similar look to the existing building.

To fully renovate Neilson Reise, meanwhile, with new equipment and an upgraded user experience, costs are estimated at $5.89 million. The other option for a whole new arena, the study estimates, could cost between $8.6 million to $10.1 million.

Another choice for the council, though, is to not create any new community rink and remove itself from providing the service. Mayor Rita Albrecht, though, said she wants the city to stay involved.

"I'm personally not interested in investing that kind of money for a 'new' 1960s building," Albrecht said. "But, I am interested in the city staying in the ice business."

"Should we stay in the 'ice business,' in a vacuum, certainly the easy answer is no," Ward 1 Council member Michael Meehlhause said. "But, with the event center, we're already going to be in it one way or another. The question is the level we partake. I've seen in my years on the council, once you provide a service, it's really hard to pull back on it. I think we as a city do have a role with ice, but I don't know what the answer is. The community will have to think about what the right thing to do is."

With that in mind, the council's direction was to bring up the ideas to a committee focused on the feasibility of a special use tax in the city, as any arena project would likely need this type of funding. Additionally, the council concluded it should explore ways of public input in the coming months on what the residents want to see.

As part of the ongoing discussion, Ward 5 Council member Nancy Erickson gave a reminder about infrastructure costs the city is also facing.

"I want everyone to be fully aware that if they want to see growth within the city, we need expansion at our wastewater treatment plant, and that could be $11 million," Erickson said. "One new water well is beyond $2 million. Eventually, you have to set priorities, and you have limited resources, so you have to decide what's really important."

1/2: Neilson Reise Arena is located at 1115 23rd St. NW in Bemidji. (Jillian Gandsey | Bemidji Pioneer)

2/2: Ground was broken on a second sheet of ice at the Bemidji Community Arena in August with an opening expected in 2020. (Jillian Gandsey | Bemidji Pioneer)