The Jacksonville Icemen will receive a $7.5 million taxpayer-back loan and grant package for its $18 million purchase and renovation of the Jacksonville Ice & Sportsplex.
City Council voted 17-0 on March 23 to approve Ordinance 2021-0113, which authorizes a 20-year, $6.5 million loan at 3% interest and a $1 million completion grant for Iceman affiliate Icemen Igloo LLC.
JICE LLC, managed by Icemen majority owner Andrew Kaufmann, bought the Sportsplex on March 15 for $6 million from PSF I Jax Metro LLC, according to the Duval County Clerk of Courts.
Team President Bob Ohrablo said Feb. 8 that the Icemen intended to buy the team’s practice facility and install a second full-size ice rink, a sports-themed restaurant and facilities to support youth and adult hockey programs.
Before the vote, Council Finance Committee Chair Matt Carlucci praised the project and the partnership between the city and the Iceman.
“Any time I see new opportunities open up for families, it’s a good thing,” Carlucci said. “That’s exactly what this is going to do. It’s a metal building, so it’s got good bones. It just needs to be fixed up.”
A legislative summary filed with the bill said Icemen’s ownership company, SZH Hockey LLC, expected to spend $6.1 million for the property and business acquisition and $11.9 million for renovations.
The Council added language to the original bill that waives the city’s public investment policy to allow the development loan and completion grant to be awarded to the Icemen.
Neither incentive is otherwise allowed by the policy.
The Council Finance Committee made the amendment and recommended the deal March 16 in a 7-0 vote.
Council President Tommy Hazouri introduced the bill Feb. 23 on behalf of Mayor Lenny Curry.
The legislation now goes to Curry for his signature.
Icemen representatives and administration officials say the deal would provide colleges in the North Florida region a home rink, create inner-city hockey and education programs and attract youth and adult hockey and figure skating tournaments from throughout the Southeastern U.S.
The Icemen plans to form partnerships with the city’s Parks and Recreation Department and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida to operate the hockey programs, according to city documents.
Kaufmann purchased SZH Hockey in 2019 from Al Acquisitions. The team also has a locally based investors group that includes former NFL and University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow and Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Myles Jack.
The Sportsplex is part of San Marco East Plaza, which is west of Interstate 95 at Emerson Street.
Ohrablo said the Icemen, the ECHL affiliate of the NHL Winnipeg Jets, has been pursuing the deal for nearly two years.
The team uses the Sportsplex as a secondary practice facility when its home rink at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena is not available.
Ohrablo said buying and renovating the 103,570-square-foot Sportsplex will give the Icemen a permanent practice rink and corporate headquarters.
According to Ohrablo, SZH Hockey negotiated with former Sportsplex property owner, Dallas-based Prescott Group, and leaseholder Marc Scheff to acquire the facility and business for $6.1 million.
The Prescott Group bought San Marco East Plaza, then called Metro Square, in 2019.
The Icemen have contracted Hollywood-based The Campol Consulting Group LLC to help develop the facility, according to Ohrablo. The firm helped plan the Florida Panthers IceDen in Coral Springs.