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Politics & Government

Youth Hockey Association Gets Break in Ice Fee Requirements

A requirement drop from 800 to 675 hours for a $10 per hour discount was awarded to the Inver Grove Heights Youth Hockey Association by the city council Feb. 13.

 

got an ice break from the on Feb. 13.

Under the new agreement, the association will purchase 675 hours of ice time at the Veterans Memorial Community Center during the prime time season and receive a $10 discount. Previously in order to get the $10 discount they had to purchase at least 800 hours.

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"Last year they didn’t hit the 800 hours and didn’t get the discount, right?" Council Member Rosemary Piekarski Krech asked. "And they survived?"

The association’s board president said 800 hours was not reached last year and they had to pay the full price and the discount helps, which is why they were asking for the minimum number of hours to be lowered.

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Going from 800 to 675 would cost the city $3,300 in lost revenue, Parks and Recreation Director Eric Carlson told the council.

Piekarski Kreck was vocal about equity across sports and asked if other athletic groups in the city get as many discounts or breaks as the hockey association does.

Carlson said while other groups don’t see the same discounts,  the hockey association has the highest fees as well as the most amount of time purchased.

The new contract for any group renting prime ice time increased for next season by $5 from $195 to $200 per hour – in line with a market study average. Prime time is from 3 -9:59 p.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m.-8:59 p.m. on weekends from Oct. 1-March 12.

Inver Grove Heights Community Schools pays $100,000 annually for ice time for the teams and physical education instruction at the arena.

With a final vote of 3-1 –Council Member Vance Grannis voting no and Bill Klein absent from the meeting, the new rates were approved.

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