Ice rink operators want Tahoe facility to be a destination
By Kathryn Reed
Saturday marks one full month since South Lake Tahoe turned the ice rink keys over to private operators.
The most noticeable difference walking in is the retail shop on the right is not there. Instead, those goods are being moved to the left of the front doors, with office space being taken out. More of the core offices are by the front counter.
“We want the whole building to flow better and for there to be more things to do while people are here,” explained Van Oleson, who with Chris Cefalu are the owners of the privately held Tahoe Sports Entertainment, the operators of the rink.
Operators of the South Lake Tahoe ice rink are making changes. Photo/LTN
They have a range of plans for the sheet of ice – but want to implement them in a strategic manner. While ultimately making money is the goal, providing the right mix of programs with superb customer service top the to-do list.
However, cleaning and organizing things have taken up more time than anticipated.
“This place was just absolutely cluttered,” Oleson said while sitting in his office at the rink.
Working on the feasibility of plans and developing a time line to implement the changes are in the works. More concrete plans should be forthcoming later this year. TSE is still working on its website.
What used to be the retail shop is being turned into a café. The rinks’ operators have made the center an Internet hot spot so people needing to get some work done or just wanting to be online can do so.
Cameras that will be installed in the arena will allow those in the café to see what is going on. Those televisions will also broadcast NHL and other sports programs. Once the license is secure, beer and wine will be sold at the café.
“We hope the effect is a coffee house atmosphere,” Oleson said. He admits, though, that after the men’s leagues, the noise level in the café is bound to escalate.
But the whole goal is with the café upfront it will attract more people.
Vending machines in the back where the “old” café is are likely to be eliminated.
That whole area could be opened up – possibly turning it into an exercise room with free weights, machines or even a Pilates studio.
While changing the look and adding things to the facility are happening, the management team is keenly aware of the need to focus on the ice.
Cefalu said things have been streamlined, with the cost of some leagues being lowered to be more affordable. The goal is to build up the number of people using the arena.
“We want to do more so kids come in. It’s very underused by kids,” Cefalu said.
While the city had a partnership with Lake Tahoe Unified School District for third-graders to learn to skate, Cefalu and Oleson want more than just that age group.
Part of their approach is getting the word out the city has a rink, put a Tahoe identity behind the rink and ultimately make it a destination for people beyond the basin.
Oleson said that while Lake Tahoe is known for winter sports athletes, they are on the slopes, not the ice. He wants to change that.
“We just hosted the founder of the largest international hockey camp to discuss a lot of possibilities with the rink,” Oleson said. “We are working with a former NHL player to create a destination event. We are working with figure skating for events.”
Already the rink has secured the Pee Wee tournament for February. This could fill a couple hundred room nights on the South Shore.
If the Tahoe-Reno area is awarded the 2022 Winter Olympics, as some hope will happen, the ice rink owners want their ice to be used as a training or practice facility.
Cefalu also said discussions have begun with Lake Tahoe Community College to integrate the two entities.
To go forward completely with their plans, Oleson and Cefalu need the recreation JPA board to amend the bond structure of Measure S because private entities cannot make money from tax-exempt bonds. No meeting is on the books to make this happen.
The city chose to seek a private operator of the rink because it had been losing about $100,000 a year for a few years on the 9-year-old facility. Tahoe Sports and Entertainment is paying the city $2,000 a month in rent for the first year; $3,000 month after that. Beginning Oct. 1, 2012, 3 percent of gross revenue above $600,000 will be the city’s; 4 percent the next year; with it capping at 5 percent starting Oct. 1, 2014.
My daughter is 12 and I asked her why kids don’t go there and she said ,” it’s expensive and it sucks”. Since the rec center doesn’t do middle school dances anymore why not make the ice rink the friday night teen thing to do. Make it affordable, play the “music” they listen to, and get the kids to promote it. No one talks to kids when the try to market to them.
Sweet deal for Cefalu and Oleson. $2000 a month is real cheap for that facility. I guess it pays to have connections. I’m not sure of the square footage of the ice arena but thats got to be the cheapest per foot of cost for rent for a commercial space in town.
Also will the city still provide snow removal there? Do the new propietors pay for maintaining the building and any needed repairs? Now they want to sell beer and wine? Is’nt that a big no no for any city owned property?
Ya know back in the day I used to hang out at Regan beach. So I’m figurin’ that if Cefalu and Oleson can get the ice arena for 2 grand , I should be able to get Regan beach for maybe $2oo or $300 a month…and sell beer and wine as well. See? Everybody wins! Well except for all the city employees I’ll have to fire. And I’ll have to put in a toll gate at the entrance.But hey, we’ll have live music and liquor and under paid workers!
Boy that measure “S” sure worked out well, didn’t it?
Welcome to the new So. Lake Tahoe
Old Long Skiis
Who pays the electric bill?
I think moving the cafe away from the ice rink was a big mistake.
I think its 2 grand a month plus a percentage of the revenue projected to be approximately 180,000 annually if I heard the story correctly.
R. Silva. Good idea on teen night. Ask the kids why they do not go and take notes.
I heard the City is paying the insurance for the Rink. How’s that going to work with beer and wind?
It is a great rink and I think a lot of the ideas are great… though moving EVERYTHING away from any viewing may not be totally smart… I heard absolutely not one comment about anything but Hockey. Will the rink only serve hockey players and forget figure, dance, speed, public etc? That is not serving the whole community. I hope that ALL skaters are taken into account. There is no reason Tahoe can’t become a destination for those skaters as well.
oops should have added, that totally taking out the vending machines seems foolish. Cafes are not open anywhere near the time a rink is in use. They can be moved and provide drinks and simple snacks and not detract front he money earning of the cafe, but still serve those using the facility after regular hours.
Beer & wine license? There is no reason for this. My home ice was Redwood Empire Ice Arena and the strongest drink available was hot chocolate. Our rink was safe and we didn’t have to worry about people being stupid on the ice or creeps in the building or parking lot. Lots of wonderful programs for all ages and abilities. We also had other venues in the form of Christmas ice shows and special events….I saw Seji Ozawa with the San Francisco Symphony, it was awesome! I’m not happy at all with the beer & wine being available….it just does not mix well. A bar, right in the middle of our wonderful Parks & Recreation, Senior Center, Library area. Please remember, this area is frequented by our most vulnerable populations. The young and the elderly. Not happy about this at all.
beer and wine served at the rink is absolutely ridiculous! Can’t we have just a few kid friendly places where they don’t have to watch adults get stupid!
I left a message for Cefalu to call me about placing a banner around the arena. Not very professional over there. Not even a call back from them after 2 weeks.
I’m all for league fees being lowered, but there needs to be some sort of service for beginner adult hockey players. Most people are too intimidated to go to drop-ins or play in the league when starting out. That’s why Paul Huard’s college hockey class was so great. That class drew in a lot of new players, which equals more money for the rink, but the class has not run for two years now because the college requires at least 12 people in the class and you can only take it up to six times before you have to audit. Down at Snoopy’s Home Ice in Santa Rosa, they offered a skills and drills class for $10 every week. It was a great class. That is where I learned to play hockey. I hope South Lake Tahoe’s ice rink chooses to offer some skills and drills classes in place of the college class. And I also hope it can get some experienced people in there cutting the ice and sharpening skates.
2.000/month for a very sophisticated 38,000 sq.ft. building, which just had a major expense of a co-gen upgrade.
Paying that (up to 3,000/mo. later) plus 3% of the “gross” over $ 600,000/annum, when the City never-ever got that high is a “disaster-in waiting”
(3% is 18,000 or another 1,500/mo. – 4% is 24,000 or another 2,000/mo. & 5% is 30,000 or 2,500/mo. as a “cap”. . . accordingly, they will never pay over 4,500/mo, way less than 1.00/sq.ft. – how about .12. . .
“Old Long Skiis” is most relevant here. . .
Bob, those banner ads have been in place and full since day one. There is no place around the rink to put up new ones. I am curious if they will allow the ones there now, I have had one since day one, and what the price will be and also if we can keep our same location.
NO DRINKING AND RINKING
First off old longs skiis sounds like hes the other guy who wanted to buy the place and is bitter that he didnt get the deal. I have personally been involved in the rink since the first day it opened, and the quality of ice care, quality of employees, and quality of management is the best its been since opening day. I can also say that I now am more intrigued in using the rink because of who runs it, and more so who is not running it anymore. Yeah yeah theyre renting for cheap, but the place is built already, so economically the city would rather make 2000/ month plus the revenue than lose money if they continued to run it.
Also for those of you who complain about other types of skaters being brought in to use the rink, the fact is there isnt much of any demand for the other skating styles. and for those who do figure skate there are times for them to do just that. in fact i played hockey last week in the midst of toe pick holes all over the ice. so please before you ramble on about it being catered to specific types of people, know your facts.
Also the owners are looking to invest in other ways to use the rink, such as an indoor soccer conversion kit, which is assembled over the ice in a half an hour. with our hispanic population in South lake this will be sure to be packed. i actually believe this could become a major source of revenue for the owners, as well as money to pay back the city and its people for what theyre now complaining about, which was passing “measure s”.
As for the beer and wine, you complain now, but the first time you enjoy a beer at the facility, im sure that voice in your head will tell you its still a “horrible decision” to have a cafe which sells those products!
I guarantee Cefalu is open to new ideas, so instead of complaining on here, walk in and share your thoughts with him!