FW Ice Skating Rink to open in January

FORT WAYNE, IND. (WANE) - It's supposed to be open by the end of the month, but that doesn't look like that'll be the case for a skating rink on the city's north side. It sits in the middle of 22 acres of land, bounded by Lima Road, Wells Street, and Fernhill Avenue.

Project leaders say Mother Nature is to blame. During October, the project suffered from a brief cold-snap and almost seemingly non-stop rain. Ground was broken for the project in July of 2009.

"We planned to be open by late November but we had some delays in getting the structural steel shipped to us along with the roofing decking, so now we're trying to catch up," said John Nichols, a business partner with the project.

It’s now expected to open on January 2, 2010. Nichols says the project has also suffered from theft early on.

"Scrap copper and tools and those types of things were stolen," Nichols said. Crews immediately responded by making sure the construction area is lit at night, with security officers throughout the day and night making sure everything stays in place.

The project comes at a total price tag of $21 million; $14 million of that alone is for the skating rink. While the recession continues, the project has actually benefited from being built during the recession.

"We've gotten very competitive bids. Sub-contractors are eager to be on the job; they're eager for work," Nichols said.

Once finished, the skating rink is expected to be a large tourist attraction, with some 500,000 people expected to pass through its doors. It will be the state’s only three sheet skating rink; something that can only be found in Chicago or Detroit. Each rink will be able to host approximately 300 skaters at one time.

The high numbers of expected crowds means a lot of people from out of town will be looking for a place to stay. That's why an 89 room TownePlace Suites by Marriott hotel is also under construction. It's expected to open in the Spring of 2010.

The skating rink will also include a locally-operated restaurant and bar called "The Thirsty Penguin." The complex will be operated by Canlan Ice Sports , which has also managed The McMillen Ice Arena since May of 2009.

An issue that officials say will take the longest in the construction project is the skating rinks themselves. Once the concrete is poured, it must be left alone for 28 days so that it can completely and thoroughly dry before ice is added.

Crews have been working two and even three shifts a day to get to that point.

Once completed, the project is expected to bring about 70 jobs to the area. There’s also room for future expansion, as developers are setting aside about 9 acres for retail or future expansion needs.