The Ballston Ice Rink, built on top of a public parking garage near the Ballston Commons Mall, is set to open by September, an Arlington Count official said Friday.
“We’re under construction, but hoping to be up by September,” said Tom Newman, director of real estate development at the Arlington Economic Development Department.
The $38 million rink, which is expected to house the Washington Capitals’ practice facility and front offices, is being paid for by Arlington County. The county said it would recoup costs through rental payments made by the Capitals on a 28-year lease.
The National Hockey League earlier this week completed its first season after a bitter strike that for a time had some questioning the future of the league.
Newman said that if the league were to fold, the county is confident it could make back construction costs by offering services to the public.
The county would have to make $1.36 million per year over 28 years to pay for the facility if the lease with the Capitals ends. It will be open to the public at all other times, Newman said.
“If they weren’t there, financially the loss isn’t that great,” he said. “It’s not like they’re using prime time” by practicing for two hours per days in the middle of the day during hockey season.
The rink was originally scheduled to open at the end of July. Newman said on a project of this size, a one- or two-month delay is not unexpected.
Sigal Construction of the District is the primary contractor on the project. Once finished, the 137,000- square-foot facility will have office space for 1,200, two NHL-sized hockey rinks and weight training facilities, according to the economic department’s Web site.
