JACKSONVILLE, Fla.Ice Rink — Starting August 1, the Jacksonville Ice and Sportsplex will be taken over by the Jacksonville Icemen and will rename the building the ‘Icemen Igloo.’
The announcement comes after City Council unanimously approved of a $7.5 million grant for the Icemen Igloo LLC (owners of the Jacksonville Icemen) to buy the Jacksonville Ice and Sportsplex facility. The overall cost for buying the facility and renovating it is $18.5 million.
Renovations will include a second sheet of ice, a premium sports bar/restaurant, new locker rooms, Icemen training facility, and a new Jacksonville Sports Hall of Fame. There are also plans for a sports E-center in the facility.
“This is going to be such a family centered, great place for people all over Jacksonville to come. I’m so happy that it’s in my district and it really shows for those of you who’ve been following over the last two years what’s been happening on Phillips Highway, this really proves that Phillips Highway has really turned the corner,” Councilmember LeAnna Cumber said at the official announcement. “And this having a sports bar and a restaurant and the ice happening here is really just going to help this whole area flourish.”
Casey Huron, a mother of two young hockey players, says she is most excited for the new sheet of ice for her kids.
“We’ve been here at the ice box for about five years and are ready for a facelift and for it to continue to evolve,” Huron said. “So we think it’s going to be great for the hockey program and bring more people in and we’re just really excited to have a nice rink to for our kids to play at.”
Renovations are expected to start shortly after August 1 and will take ten months to a year for everything to be completed. The facility will remain open to the public as work is being done.
Cox Media Group
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