More bad news from Playland.
County officials were hoping to have the Ice Casino back on line by September, but the project isn’t likely to go out for bid until May. Estimates for construction time run between six and nine months. That likely means Rye and RyeTown/Harrison will have to make a tough decision. Do they schedule the entire season elsewhere before ice slots run out? Do they schedule at the Ice Casino after the New Year? Do they gamble the Ice Casino will be done by November and schedule the entire home slate there?
You can read all of the details in a post by Elizabeth Ganga on the Politics on the Hudson blog.
19 Comments
They would be wise to schedule their entire season elsewhere. Playland is a public facility and, as such, is likely to take a long time. My hope is they will find it easy to make plans now as opposed to scrambling for ice right after sandy.
anything run by the Govt takes forever to fix
They should get Donald Trump to do it. He’d have it done in 4 months just to show the Gov’t up!
lol
This is a bit off topic, but checkout this fun video of the 2013 Minnesota H.S. Tourney!
http://www.hockeybias.com/hockey-news-past/2013/March/KSTC-45-TV-Boys-MSHSL-Hockey-2013-video-montage.html
Playland Ice Casino repairs won’t be done before hockey season
Officials say rink to miss opening of hockey season
http://www.lohud.com/article/20130314/NEWS02/303140074
SCHOOL BUDGETS! Is hockey on the chopping block?
I would like to get a very important topic started on this blog and hear some helpful advice from people out there. It is school budget season. Schools are making cuts to programs and hockey is always one program which seems to be in the crosshairs.
Have you heard about your school district’s intentions for how they will fund hockey for next year?
Let us know. Hopefully people are still reading the blog even though we are moving on to spring sports.
If you have any good advice, please share it here. We need some good arguments to make in front of our respective school boards. Hockey is getting stronger in the region but school budget cuts could really hamper progress. Share your stories or advice and keep an eye on your own school district’s budget.
Thank you.
the teams need to let the schools know how importatnt hockey is to the school and the players. They also need more hockey friendly Athletic Directors
How does ice hockey compare to, say, the cost of football – a sport which I love. The school has to build and maintain a field. The field can be used for multiple sports but these new turf fields are upwards of over $1,000,000 and require a bond. Otherwise they would never be funded. Whenever there is a sports event, the school needs a minimum of personnel present. How do those costs compare to the cost of ice time. With ice time, one could say the cost is all inclusive.
Tracks are not cheap. Basketball gyms are not cheap to build, heat and maintain either. Is cost per participant a fairer way to make a comparison?
There is no logical explanation why the Ice Casino couldn’t have been repaired in time for next season.
Todays statement by the county is an indication that this is a political football during an election year. Unfortunately we the ice hockey community are the kicking tee.
With Playland obviously a hostage why isn’t there more talk about the 4 sheet facility in Rye Brook? That place is needed yesterday. How can we get it going?
This winter season really proved that it is not needed. 4 rinks? It couldnt sell or move all its ice. You are not seeing the overall picture. When Playland got knocked out, other places, Coney Island, Chelsae Pier in NYC, and others all went down for a while too. No program closed, or was unable to get ice to continue their season. The last thing that is needed is a four rink facility. It would put Playland out of business right away, and then sink itself with too much ice and not enough customers
Need I wonder what rink you represent. Only a rink owner or someone connect with a rink would protest that much. Let face it ice around here is a sellers market. The rinks call the shots. If you don’t think clubs have been affected guess again. Manhattanville skating in Stamford, where are the Rye Rangers and Mariners skating to start the season? Rye HS and Rye Town Titans are skating where? New Rochelle Lightning are in Greenwich. So all those teams plus Hockey North America are skating all over the place. If you read Sustainable Playland they are taking out the studio rink at Playland for a restaurant leaving only 1 sheet of ice. With the facts out how can you not say more ice around here is needed. Grow the game, teach kids to skate not only with hockey but figure skating. God forbid we have more open hockey, stick time and shinny around here. Don’t worry it will not affect you. You dont skate anyway.
If you build it they will come!
And if not who cares it is their money. Lets get some ice around here and then let them worry about how to pay the bills. I miss New Roc. Iona College, Manhattanville and every thing else. Sad the people running it where toolbags. More ice will be great.
wow Gordie a little cranky, obviously “needed? for What?” doesn’t play or have kids that play. My guess is though he/she is connected to WSA or SPI. Look at the Greenwich Blues going to Norwalk to skate.
Yup he/she is right no programs shut down, but there where 12 year olds on the ice at 9:30, getting off at 10:45 on a school night. What time do you think the adults got on the ice?
Nope programs didn’t shut down as some people are committed to the game. Whats the price at WSA for an hour of ice $550, $600 bucks? Hopefully the 4 sheets get built and the Ice Casino is put back on line. Its simple reduce the cost and grow the game.
By the way there are plenty of programs to fill 4 sheets and have the Ice Casino running.
Gordie, I respect your opinion however if it was being put in your back yard you would see things differently
The Reckson rink is being built in an office park. It is within walking distance of a 9 hole golf course that is part of a huge Conference Center. Arrowood must have 500 rooms or something like that. Not only is it a huge conference center but the pool serves as a point of reference for the flight path of commercial jets landing at the County Airport. The area is also home to the World Headquarters of Pepsi. Plus the SUNY Purchase campus which also houses LIU and NYU satellite campuses is also in the area. The ice facility will blend in nicely in this landscape. Children will come and learn to skate and exercise. Families will spend time bonding, grandparents will watch their kids play and laugh. It will be a place for the community to come and enjoy life. I believe it is a win/win with local business feeding the people, residents enjoying skating and the tax revenue closing budget gaps and funding the school system.
needed? for what? who’s back yard is it being put in? It is going in a office park next to the airport, a conference center and a state college. Not to mention Pepsi world headquarters around the block.
I am going to bet the area hotels and business will not mind the extra business they receive form the tournaments they host. I am also going to bet the school district won’t mind the extra revenue produced by the taxes the place will generate.
yes maybe the economic factor is bigger than I am thinking. Maybe it can be two rinks, four seems like its going to be so heavy with traffic going back and forth
needed? for what? I think the traffic issue has been blown out of proportion, most of the traffic is in the evening after the busy rush hour and the weekends.
I agree traffic on King st is horrible from 3pm to say 6pm and the road should be improved, but most of the hockey traffic is in the evening. Weekend traffic is not that bad in the area. I go to a lot of rinks and very very rarely do you ever see a line waiting to get in or out, even at the rather large tournaments in Marlboro.