Replacement rink coming to Bowie, MD

[Query]

For a number of years Bowie has been talking about replacing the current Bowie Ice Arena, with a two surface facility, because the current rink (first completed in 1971) has developed foundation problems.

They have gone an extra step in this direction, by creating a web page:

  https://www.cityofbowie.org/newicearena

I think the new location, based on the map on that page, is a bit over a mile from the current one, but is somewhat harder to get to from Route 50 or the DC Beltway - maybe 15 - 30 minutes more? Completion is planned for 2020 or 2021, and will cost about $24,000,000, not including property cost, because it is on city property. Apparently, a single surface facility would only cost approximately $1,000,000 less - which has me a bit confused. The studies alone cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The initial feasibility study was completed in 2013. The paperwork available on the website may be informative to those who find rink construction and planning details interesting.

However, apparently, the information I previously had on city subsidy was not correct. While annual operating costs are indeed close to $1,000,000, they do get some income, so that the projected 2018 subsidy for the current rink is only $317,000, not including foregone income that could have been obtained from land sale or lease. However, the document indicates that this also does not include administrative/overhead "operating expenses" that, if I understand correctly, are shared with several other Bowie government facilities.

It is my impression that most government projects, including this one, involve some degree of planning, politics, discussion, time, and inefficiency. So this does not reflect the cost that building a similar private facility might entail. But if you have ever thought about convincing a local government to build a rink or other recreational facility, this page might convince you the effort involved is substantial.

[Query]

Wow, it looks like the advisory committee that worked on the first report came into existence in 2003. That's a lot of time to consider building a facility!

So it remains to be seen when and if it will actually be built.

Also, someone at the facility said there is also a proposed Hunt Road exit to route 50 that would make this rink a lot easier to get to for some of us - but I can't find any info on that.

I suppose, some of the administrative costs include all the time spent by city officials, committees and the city council time debating what should be done. More than likely a few hundred thousand dollars or even more, if you include all the overhead that they entail. It's hard to believe how slow and inefficient government can sometimes be - except that I have worked at state and federal government facilities, and I know they are remarkably inefficient.

Oh well...

[lutefisk]

There are a lot of tax paying constituencies within Bowie and all of them want the tax money spent on their kid's sport: some want more basketball courts, some want swimming pools, some want pickle ball courts.  A few even want a new ice rink.  City Council peeps get an ear full from all those groups.  Sooner or later something or another will get built.  I may be too old to use it, but my tax money will help build it--whatever it finally is.  I'm not sure I know what "pickle ball" is but I do know that sport/activity/whatever has a very vocal group that hangs out at council meetings!

[nicklaszlo]

For comparison, this project was announced at least six years ago, and has only just broken ground in July:

https://www.friendsofcrown.org/projects/
https://www.cityofevanston.org/government/departments/parks-recreation-community-services/robert-crown-center/robert-crown-community-center-project
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/evanston/news/ct-evr-robert-crown-center-project-costs-tl-0531-story.html

$53 million, not counting any cost overruns. 

The old rink (1 NHL surface plus a tiny surface) was also from the 70s.  It was leaking and had severely cracked walls back in 2010, probably due to the poor soil quality mentioned in the Tribune article.

[Bill_S]

That's some serious coin, but I see that it will have other amenities too.

Too bad about the timing of steel prices. I saw that will add $1/2M to the cost.