Note:  The following article is an opinion piece and only reflects the viewpoint of the author.  It is not intended to speak for or reflect the thoughts or opinions of the City of Greenwood, the Indy Fuel, or anyone else affiliated with the Greenwood Iceplex project.

 If you are among those folks who call Greenwood - or any of the communities on the south side of Indianapolis - home, you are likely aware of the recent debate surrounding the proposed Greenwood Iceplex.

On March 2nd, Indy Fuel CEO Sean Hallett and Greenwood Mayor Mark Myers announced plans to construct a world-class ice arena within Freedom Park.  The facility, which would sit just south of the Freedom Springs Aquatic Center, would house two NHL-size ice rinks and two indoor turf fields (which would eventually convert to two additional ice rinks), along with retail, dining, and fitness amenities.

The announcement has generated a tremendous amount of buzz, though not all of it has been in support of the project.  While nearly everyone seems to be in favor of the concept of an ice arena, the two sides deviate sharply when it comes to its location.  There are plenty of people on both sides of the fence, and plenty of opinions to go around.

The Debate In A Nutshell 

Neighborhood residents raise concerns about increased traffic, noise, and other issues they say they will be confronted with.  In addition to voicing their opinion at recent city council meetings, they have also created a website to share information they feel is important to the discussion.

Likewise, the south side hockey community - many of whom live in said same neighborhood - preach the value and positive impact the project will have on the area, even for those who don't personally utilize it.

The mayor's office and other city agencies involved in the preliminary work see the Iceplex as an economic boon to the community.  Even with consideration of the proposed five-year property tax abatement and the $1-per-month/60-year lease, city representatives claim the project will provide a substantial amount of revenue to both the town's coffers and local businesses. 

If you feel you are a bit behind on the conversation, don’t fret… a quick Google search on "Greenwood Iceplex" will provide any number of articles and news reports on the topic, including those previously linked.  I encourage you to take some time to read up on both sides of the debate.  Valid arguments and legitimate concerns have been voiced all around, and there is only room for educated opinions in a conversation with this kind of impact.

Having taken the time to read this far, I’m going to assume that you have a stake - or at least more than a passing interest - in this topic. In that light, I ask that no matter which camp you side with, from this point forward keep an open mind and take things in from a fresh and untainted perspective.  Because instead of following the herd and simply rehashing the various points of contention, I’m going to offer an alternative:  that this is once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.  In my opinion, the Greenwood Iceplex can be a game-changer; not just for the park or the neighborhood or the Indy Fuel or even the city.  The effects of this project could potentially change the sports landscape in communities across the country.

What I’m about to propose is nothing new.  In numerous cities throughout the US, many aspects of what we’re suggesting are being implemented to various degrees.  How this project differs is the opportunity to bring all these facets under one unique roof.  To create something beautiful and valuable and innovative.  To do more than just alter a community’s face, but to enrich its soul.

Thoughtful Design

While 115,000 square feet may sound big, consider that the footprint of the proposed Iceplex will account for slightly less than 8% of Freedom Park’s 79 total acres.  Given the significant advances in construction and design, the City of Greenwood and its residents have the opportunity to assist in the creation of a facility that reflects the community’s spirit and enhances the park’s inherent beauty.

Liberal implementation of environmental strategies can not only reduce the energy cost of both the Iceplex and the adjacent aquatic center, but can also support the sustainability of the park’s natural resources.  Use of renewable energy sources, such as solar and geothermal, can be utilized to lower the reliance on externally generated energy.  Heat from the ice creation process can be harnessed to heat not only the interior spaces of the Iceplex itself, but the water of used be the aquatic center.  Likewise, redirecting a portion of that generated heat to warm the sidewalks and driveways in the wintertime could significantly reduce the use of chemical ice melts while improving patron safety.  Re-cycling the clean ‘snow’ created during ice resurfacing to irrigate the athletic fields and other landscaping is just another way the facility could prove to be a valuable asset to Freedom Park.

Health and Wellness

Above and beyond the numerous options the Iceplex will offer for sport and recreation, opportunities exist to extend the impact of the facility to other areas of health and wellness.  Designed with focus on inclusion, the arena could become one of the nation’s only fully-accessible ice arenas.  Supporting sled hockey and other activities for special populations will not only improve their physical health, but could also advance the understanding and acceptance of persons with disabilities for the many people who don’t grasp the challenges they face on a daily basis.

As part of the Rink Of Dreams project initiated by the South Indy Youth Hockey Association (SIYHA), a partnership was developed with Franciscan Health’s Sports Medicine department to research new methodologies for concussion prevention and rehabilitation.  Working with athletes and their families, SIYHA and Franciscan Health hoped to achieve a reduction in the number and severity of concussions through innovative training techniques and evaluation/rehabilitation strategies.  The results of this partnership could further advance the safety of youth sports and improve the lives of those affected by traumatic brain injuries.

Youth Sports and Education

The Iceplex has the potential to improve our children’s minds as well as their bodies.  Another unique aspect of the Rink Of Dreams project was the development of an ice-sports-centered STEM program.  Building on the NHLPA’s Future Goals curriculum, the arena could partner with local schools to provide a unique educational experience that combines science and physical education with ice sports.  Students would be exposed to the technologies involved in ice manufacturing, environmental control, and equipment design, as well as the physics of skating, hockey, and other ice sports.  Combined with instruction and participation in ice skating, the objective of the program is to open doors to the world of opportunities that ice sports can provide.

Further still, the project’s impact could extend well beyond ice sports.  The Indy Fuel has already demonstrated a commitment to youth hockey with the formation of the Jr. Fuel Hockey Club.  Expanding upon that commitment through community programs supported by the Iceplex would make a lasting positive impact on the neighborhoods as well as local youth sports organizations.

Modeled very loosely after the Community Benefit Agreement being explored by the city of St. Louis and SC STL, St. Louis’ Major League Soccer franchise (link), a partnership between the Indy Fuel, the City of Greenwood, the Greenwood Community School Corporation, and various youth sports organizations could be immensely valuable.  Although such an agreement would be on a much smaller scale than mentioned above -- as that is a $200 million plus project with substantial taxpayer subsidies -- the benefits could still be significant.  Establishing a scholarship fund for families in need to offset the cost of participation in youth sports; donating game tickets, Iceplex passes, and other merchandise to local schools to be used for student incentive programs; sponsoring coach and parent education programs to improve the culture and climate within youth sports; supporting the aforementioned STEM program and other educational endeavors; these are just a few suggestions of how the Iceplex could be a major asset to the surrounding community at little expense to its operation.

Why Freedom Park?

Before answering that question, let me state that this is not to dismiss the value of Green/Open Space. Park land and Open Space is essential to community value and quality of life.  It helps to maintain our connection to the natural world and reminds us of our duties as stewards of the environment.  That being said, the Greenwood Iceplex doesn’t necessarily run contrary to that value.  Through thoughtful planning and design, the Iceplex can blend harmoniously within the community and be of significant value to the maintenance of Freedom Park’s green spaces.

So why chose Freedom Park as the future home for the Greenwood Iceplex?  It certainly isn’t because of the tax abatement and land lease agreement.  Any economist or developer can tell you that Indiana Ice Arenas, LLC and the Iceplex are receiving far less financial incentives than other projects of similar magnitude.  The Halletts are committing themselves to over $20 million to the construction and operation of the project, at very little expense to the city.  Park land consumes more tax dollars than it generates.  The Iceplex will contribute substantially more to the local economy than it receives, essentially ensuring the survival of Freedom Park and other green spaces for the future.

Nearly all the programs and benefits mentioned within could still be implemented should the Iceplex be built in another location.  However, adding the expense of a land purchase to the project’s overall cost would have a significant detrimental effect.  Ice arenas are not in themselves highly profitable ventures to the ownership group.  Privately-owned facilities often operate at near break-even levels, and any profits are almost entirely re-invested in maintenance and programming.  Publicly-owned arenas often incur deficits on an annual basis, draining funds from tax revenue until such time that the facility falls in the face of budget cuts.  Requiring additional monies be spent on land would not only reduce the size and scope of the Iceplex project, but would also substantially reduce the benefits it could provide to the community.

Building the arena in a commercial or industrial area, as some have suggested, would not guarantee the success of the endeavor.  In fact, in many cases such locations serve as a detriment to an arena’s long-term survival.  Commercial or industrial parks can be acceptable locations for an ice arena if they are placed near communities that either have highly affluent populations with large amounts of disposable income or very few competing entertainment or recreation options.  Most would agree that with minor exceptions, the southern Indianapolis region fits neither of those criteria.

Where ice arenas often thrive is when they are not just in a community but part of one.  Community ice arenas aren’t simply a place to go for a few hours of entertainment, or just to get some exercise.  They are neighborhood havens… a safe space for kids to play… a gathering place for families… where holiday traditions live on and a lifetime of memories are made… where communities come together to support one another through charitable events, or celebrate life’s many joyful milestones.  Ice arenas aren't just a place to skate.  They offer windows to a wonderful world of frozen fun, and open doors that aren’t found anyplace else.

Final Thoughts

While it’s obvious at this point which side of the debate I support, it wasn’t that way at first.  I am one of the founders of the Rink Of Dreams project and a member of the south side hockey community.  In developing that project our planning committee explored several locations, including the I-65 & County Line Road corridor.  In fact, that was our preferred location.

However, the Greenwood Iceplex is different… it is our Rink Of Dreams and more.  Because of the Hallett’s involvement, our little ice rink has the potential to become something infinitely greater.  It has the potential to impact far more lives than we could have hoped for, and in much deeper ways.  Not only can it offer more to the community, it can mean more as well.

I was initially opposed to Freedom Park as the location for the arena, as it was not the one I would have chosen for my arena.  But it is not my decision, and it is not my arena.  The decision rests with those whose job it is to determine what is in the best interests of the City of Greenwood in its entirety.  The Iceplex belongs not just to me, but to the neighborhood and the community and the city and all of southern Indiana.

As I began to look at the notion through unbiased eyes, I have since come to embrace the location.  I have imagined the potential within the project and the depths to which its impact could be felt.  I have envisioned the lives it could touch.  I have pictured the role it could play in shaping our community for generations to come.  And I have dreamed of its influence on other projects across our state and throughout the country.

Yes, it may sound a little utopian, but I’m not claiming that the Greenwood Iceplex will change the world.  However, with vision and faith and support, it could be a small step in the right direction.

Do you think Freedom Park is the right place for the Greenwood Iceplex?  Tell us your opinion in the comments section below.