PROVO -- A grand opening for The Peaks Ice Arena won't be grand unless officials can raise some money and decide on a date for the party.
The celebration tentatively set for April 29 might go the way of at least two previous dates. The Provo City/Utah County Ice Sheet Authority is now mulling a September or October grand opening.George Bayles, chairman of the authority's nine-member community advisory board, said Monday that the panel believes it's more logical to hold the celebration in the fall to kick off the winter sports season. Most people's minds won't be on hockey and figure skating come spring.
The ice sheet authority also might have a hard time drawing VIPs and former Olympians to the opening on short notice, especially given the still unfolding bribery scandal.
Construction delays erased the other grand opening dates. The authority expects the building to be complete by the end of April. Both ice sheets are currently open for use, but the facility has not undergone a final inspection.
Utah County Commissioner David Gardner estimates the party, which might include on-ice demonstrations by former Olympic athletes, could cost as much as $25,000. Neither the county nor the city has the money to foot the bill, he said. Officials likely will solicit corporate sponsors to fund the event to which they anticipate attracting 1,500 to 2,000 people.
"If we have to go out and get sponsors and raise money, the April date becomes more difficult," Commissioner Gary Herbert said Monday during the ice sheet authority's monthly meeting.
The authority asked Gardner to put together a proposal for its March meeting.