NEAR WEST SIDE — The Blackhawks have officially stated they expect their new $50 million practice rink to be ready a year later than originally announced, now in fall 2018, but they continue to commit to sharing the ice with community groups, who they say will have access to the rinks more than 90 percent of the time.
The deal cleared the City Council last week, but the Blackhawks return to the Plan Commission this week for final approval of a land sale at the current site of Malcolm X College. The estimated cost is $26.7 million, but the Hawks and Rush University Medical Center, which will share the site, are paying $24.3 million in cash. The two plan to make up the rest of the money by providing "community benefits."
Yet the Hawks insist that, with their planned $3 million "give back" over five years, that will include free ice time, equipment and training for Chicago Public Schools students and Chicago Park District groups, something they were already doing, and that was their plan all along, aside from the sweetheart realty deal. The city is also paying the $8 million cost of demolishing the college.
According to Hawk spokesman Guy Chipparoni, team Chairman Rocky Wirtz originally wanted just a single-rink practice facility built on one of the parking lots adjoining the United Center, much like the Bulls' new training center. Yet, as recently as a year ago, Wirtz made the decision to build a practice facility with two rinks, one to be devoted almost entirely to community use "to build the sport."
"Hockey, you need ice. There's not that much ice" in the city, Chipparoni said. "If you don't get these kids young, you don't get them at all. If you get 'em young, you keep 'em."
The Hawks already have ongoing programs with CPS and the Park District to get kids on the ice for free. They'll also offer the ice on a payment basis to community groups, adult leagues, tournaments and perhaps even local college hockey teams for practice.
Chipparoni said the Hawks have to wait for Malcolm X College to move students into its new nearby campus, then for the old campus to be demolished by the city, before they can start work. Rush University Medical Center, he added, "is not moving nearly as fast, and rightfully so," as it's constructing an entire medical campus at the site over several years. Thus the later date for completion for the Hawks' practice rink.
Yet the Hawks are not diminishing or deferring their commitment to community ice time. Wirtz originally estimated the rink would be open to the public more than 90 percent of the time, and while reports have more recently suggested it would only be open about half the time to the public, Chipparoni begged to differ.
"Do the math," he said. The Hawks will have two rinks available an estimated 18 hours a day. "They don't use it more than three or four hours a week," he said, and that's during the season, when the team is not on the road.
The rest of the time, the vast majority, will be devoted to community access. "I think it's even higher than 90 percent," Chipparoni added.
The rink is actually going to be staffed and overseen by Blackhawks Charities, he said, so they're not looking to make their money back selling ice time. Chipparoni said the rink's intention is to grow the game — and, of course, to give the Hawks a convenient place to practice when the United Center ice isn't available due to a Bulls game or a concert.
"Kids will be skating on the same ice as the Blackhawks," Chipparoni added.
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