Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Dr. Pepper StarCenter … of McKinney?

By Rodney Williams of McKinneyNews.net

McKinneyNews.net

Proposed Dr. Pepper StarCenter of McKinney

The great white whale of McKinney development for the last five years has been an ice rink. Developers have talked at length about a need for sheets of ice in town in years past, but those talks have amounted to nothing more than hot air.

Apparently, it wasn't the right developer doing the talking. If David Craig has his way - and all signs point to go - McKinney will be home to the Dr. Pepper StarCenter within two years.

Craig and Dallas Stars President Jim Lites spoke at a special work session of the McKinney City Council on Monday. The topic was a proposed StarCenter located near Stacy Rd. and Hwy. 121 in Craig Ranch, a facility which would house two sheets of ice and which a projected 800 to 1,000 kids would call their home rink.

"We've got a good relationship with David Craig and Craig Ranch, and this would be a great place for us to expand," Lites said. "The demographics for McKinney are fantastic.

"I'm more thrilled with the potential of this project than any we've done recently."

The proposal given to the City Council would have the City of McKinney paying the $11 million tab to build the facility, which would be located in Craig Ranch. The Hicks Sports Group would pay to lease the facility at a proposed rate of $40,000 per month - nearly a half million per year - and pay all operational costs.

"The way the Stars do when they go into a city is that they want the city to own the facility and build the facility and they lease it back from the city," explained Councilman Brian Loughmiller.

McKinney Ice Hockey Club President Steve Ellis was one of the dozens on hand to view the proceedings, and he was optimistic afterward.

"From the club's perspective, we're extremely excited about the opportunity, and I think it brings an enormous benefit to the community," Ellis said. "As ice hockey grows, it's going to attract a lot more people to McKinney."

Although the vibe regarding future development of the StarCenter seemed positive, McKinney City Manager Frank Ragan said there is further work to be done before anything could be approved.

McKinneyNews.net

Proposed Dr. Pepper StarCenter of McKinney

"This proposal has a lot of merit for discussion," Ragan said. "We were literally working on this proposal through the weekend. There are issues, such as parking, on-site usage, scheduling - that need to be worked out."

Loughmiller said a City Council vote could be another three to four weeks away. Still, he expressed his desire to see a deal done.

"It's an opportunity to get [the StarCenter] here," he said. "A lot of our kids are now going to other cities to do anything related to ice skating. It's just another opportunity to get ancillary development around [the complex] with it ultimately paying for itself.

"I, for one, am very excited about the possibilities."

Also wrapped up in the proposed sports complex is an eight-lane 400-meter rubberized outdoor track stadium with a natural grass infield as part of the Michael Johnson Performance Training Center. The track is expected to host world-class Olympic athletes in training, grands prix and Relay For Life, among other possibilities.

The natural grass infield is important in the overall picture because Tom Hicks and the Hicks Sports Group also owns the Liverpool Football Club (or soccer club on this side of the Atlantic). Liverpool, which plays in the European Champions League, could possibly utilize the facility to help it expand into North America, according to Lites.

"The possibility is very great," he said.

The initial conceptual drawings show the removal of two baseball/softball fields from the area near Alma Rd. and Stacy Rd. to make room for the construction of the complex, including both the track stadium and the StarCenter. The drawings also show two sheets of ice situated end-to-end within the facility, although Craig stated that no configuration has been locked in at this juncture.

By all accounts, Lites and company are eager to get started on the project. The construction of the StarCenter is estimated to take 12 months, and during that time StarCenter officials would begin scheduling ice times for local teams.

"Traditionally, MIHC pays for ice six months in advance. We're paid through the end of season now, and we're beginning talk of next season," said Ellis, who noted that McKinney Hockey could make the move from Frisco during the middle of next season. "It sets us up in great position for 2009-10, starting off the season in a brand new facility and occupying a considerable percentage of the ice."

"The Stars are anxious to get this done because they have to book ice sometimes a year in advance," noted Loughmiller. "They could be booking for the McKinney facility before it's even built."

Pegasus News content partner - McKinneyNews.net

Related stories

• McKinney approves funding for Dr Pepper StarCenter (April 17, 2008)

See more stories in:

• Architecture
• Hockey > NHL > Stars

Comments

Scott Doyle Verified

Removing baseball fields for construction of a hockey rink...in TEXAS?!

It's actually a pretty good idea, I just hate seeing ballfields sacrificed.

McKinney's moving on up since Mr. Craig got his feet wet, btw. First PGA golf...now potential olympic training, Liverpool, and professional hockey. Hope it's not just a lot of talk!

4 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )