The Carlson Center is set to remain the home ice for University of Alaska Fairbanks Hockey, as it has been since 1990. That’s after the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly passed an ordinance Thursday authorizing the administration to reenter into a partnership agreement with UAF, including a $1 lease for the NCAA Division I college hockey program’s exclusive use of the arena’s locker rooms.
The final vote followed some earlier turmoil. Back in June, the Assembly voted to postpone the measure after some members worried the borough might be getting the short end of the stick.
Top university officials came out Thursday to urge the Assembly to OK the ordinance. UAF Athletics Director Brock Anundson told the Assembly the partnership benefits both sides – and that the deal helps sustain the roughly 5,000-seat facility.
“UAF Hockey is the Carlson Center’s anchor tenant. Its largest paying tenant,” he said. “And because of the length of our season, and the number of events we host, we expect to remain so for the foreseeable future.”
In total, the borough-owned arena and events center operated at a more than $700,000 deficit last year, according to figures provided by borough administration Thursday. At the June meeting, some Assembly members had wondered if the borough should be getting more dough out of the agreement with the university.
Borough Mayor Grier Hopkins told the Assembly Thursday that, under previous terms, UAF Hockey paid the borough $5,000 per game, among other elements of the agreement that generated revenue. He said the agreement resulted in 22% of the Carlson Center’s total revenue in the year, but that per-game fees in the new agreement haven’t been fully negotiated yet.
The ordinance ultimately breezed through on an 8-1 vote. Assemblymember Kristan Kelly said the partnership adds enough to the quality of life locally to be worth it, and that members should look elsewhere to bring in more money.
“I really encourage us, and challenge us as an Assembly, to look at some more creative ways to relieve that cost, but at the same time, kind of, not starting to cut off our appendages in order to make budget,” she said.
Assemblymember Liz Reeves was the lone no vote. She said the facility just runs too far into the red for her to support plans for the agreement.
“I’m not voting no because I want to shut down Nanooks Hockey,” she said. “I’m voting no because I want people to be aware of this.”
This isn’t the first time cost concerns at the Carlson Center have thrust the facility into a budget-based debate. It escaped possible closure last year after cost-wary Assembly Finance Committee members targeted the facility. The committee vote to recommend shutting it down at the time failed 5-4.