City of Henderson and Vegas Golden Knights Partner on Community Ice Hockey Facility
It’s a golden night in Henderson after the Mayor and Council unanimously approved a lease agreement with the Vegas Golden Knights to build and operate an indoor ice hockey facility in downtown Henderson.
The Henderson hockey facility will be built on 3.2 acres at the southwest corner of Water Street and Atlantic Avenue, adjacent to Henderson City Hall on a site currently occupied by the Henderson Convention Center, which will be demolished this summer. The new facility is tentatively scheduled for completion by July 2020 with an estimated construction cost in excess of $25 million.
“The City’s partnership with the iconic Vegas Golden Knights will be a catalyst for business investment and social activity in Henderson’s burgeoning downtown area,” said Mayor Debra March. “The team already has a huge fan base in Henderson and their presence in our community will actively engage residents and the next generation of players in the sport of hockey.”
Proposed facility amenities include two National Hockey League regulation-size ice rinks, a full-service restaurant overlooking the ice and Water Street, retail space and approximately 5,000 square feet of meeting space. The project will expand the recreational facilities available to the community through youth and adult hockey programs and leagues, figure skating and open skate events, tournaments and camps. The Vegas Golden Knights and City of Henderson will also host five official watch parties and player and team executive appearances annually.
“This project will be a game-changer for downtown Henderson,” said City Manager Richard Derrick. “The recreation and entertainment venue we envision building in partnership with the Vegas Golden Knights will invigorate activity on the Henderson Events Plaza and attract people from all over the region to dine, shop and play in the Water Street District.”
During the first three years of the agreement, the Vegas Golden Knights will award 20 grants of $500 each to Henderson residents younger than 18 years old who come from at-risk or lower-income homes through a partnership with the D Las Vegas, to be used for any of the programming offered at the facility.
“Henderson is a hockey hotbed,” said Vegas Golden Knights President Kerry Bubolz. “The passion for the Golden Knights in Henderson has been remarkable and we are grateful for the community’s incredible support. We are confident the project will help contribute to the continued revitalization of the Water Street District. We would like to thank Mayor March and the City Council for their leadership championing this project.”
The agreement approved at the Henderson City Council meeting on May 21, 2019, is for a 20-year ground lease and development agreement with the Vegas Golden Knights with the option of two additional 10-year terms. The annual rent for the first year will be $40,000 and will increase by 2% each year. The City of Henderson will contribute $6.7 million along with $4 million in Redevelopment Agency funds toward the cost of design, development and construction, for a total contribution of $10.75 million. The City will acquire the building at completion of the lease.
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