The owners of The Ice Rink — formerly Tucson Ice, formerly Gateway Ice Center — are no closer to determining the rink's fate than they were in December even though its previously announced closure date is imminent, according to a center spokesman.
"We haven't made up our mind yet. We're still looking at three options," said Joe Coyle, director of real estate management for Bourn Partners, which as Bourn Investments LLC co-owns the site with Fairfield Gateway LLC.
Those options include a flat-out sale of the rink, continued operation of the rink with one sheet of ice instead of the current two sheets, or a redevelopment of the property into something else, such as office space, Coyle said.
He would not respond to rumors about prospective buyers but did say the owners are entertaining offers.
All legal commitments for keeping the rink open — namely, hockey events — will be fulfilled at the end of the month, but there are some figure-skating events coming up in April that the owners want to let the skating community participate in, Coyle said.
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"We're working toward at least mid-April to keep it open," he said.
The owners recently met with members of the Tucson skating community to bring them up to speed on what's happening, Coyle said.
At this point, he said, it's up to the skating community to decide how much more involved they want to get.
Lifelong Tucsonan and ice skater Ana Henderson, founder of the Tucson Women's Hockey League, said she believes the rink will close and the building will eventually be sold.
At this point, some of The Ice Rink's most recent users are working to contact people in Tucson who have any interest in ice skating, she said.
They want to form a cohesive voice to work with prospective buyers and show them what kind of support they would have if they purchased the building. The group also would approach the Tucson Convention Center about using the ice there, Henderson said.
"The reality is, if they're going to sell this property and it's ever going to turn around — because Bourn is managing a sinking ship — once somebody buys the property, they will have to close the rink just to renovate, to re-equip," she said.
Coyle said Bourn Partners is eager to get out of the business of ice-rink management.
"It's not profitable. Bourn Partners can't be operating the rink," he said.