Broomfield event center beginning to take shape

BROOMFIELD ? Everyone wants to drive the Zamboni.

The developers of the Arista development in Broomfield, which will include an 180,000-square-foot arena for minor league hockey, basketball and other events, say that interest in the project is growing from both the community and potential partners.

?We?re humbled by the reaction,? said John Frew of Wiens Frew Management Group in Broomfield, who has been leading the arena?s development. ?This was no one person?s idea. It was brought forth by a broad cross-section of groups that thought it was a good idea. As we began to move forward, the (Broomfield city) council has been very receptive, but they have asked tough questions. The city staff has been thoroughly professional but tough, and they have been honorable people throughout the process of negotiation.?

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Not all Broomfield residents, however, are so enthusiastic. On Aug. 9, the Broomfield city council approved the events center in a 9-1 vote following a late night of contentious feedback from locals concerned about traffic and the pace of development. Grading and other earth work already has begun on the site.

The development partnership is paying $331 million toward the $423 million project. The Broomfield Urban Renewal Authority is issuing bonds to pay for the $45 million events center. The Metro District will issue bonds to pay for $36.9 million in infrastructure improvements, and Broomfield will pony up $10 million in incentives for an RTD park-n-Ride. Broomfield is also considering creating a Local Improvement District to further fund aspects of the project.

The most time critical element of the project involves construction of the $45 million arena by October of next year in order to put the arena?s Central Hockey League team on the ice.

?We still expect to break ground in August,? Frew confirmed. ?It may be a little later in August, but everything is still geared towards a fall 2006 opening. If construction begins in earnest in September, our construction should be finished in October, which is perfect for a November opening.?

The building, designed by Denver?s Sink Combs Dethlefs, is largely based upon similar projects in Youngstown, Ohio and Rio Rancho, N.M. Arenas in Colorado the firm designed include the Stephen C. West Ice Arena in Breckenridge, the University of Denver?s Ritchie Center and Arena, the Greeley Ice Haus in Greeley, Moby Arena at Colorado State University in Fort Collins and McNichols Sports Arena in Denver.

?This is really the third generation of this building,? Frew explained. ?We are able to compare ourselves in terms of budget, timing and construction to those arenas, both of which are at different stages of construction.?

The partnership is currently researching names for its Central Hockey League and Continental Basketball Association franchises and hopes to have potential names to reveal to fans by September. They are also researching critical staff positions, most importantly general managers and coaches for each team.

?Once you have those two positions filled, you have professionals who are committed to building the team,? Frew said. ?They will spend the next year scouting and identifying players, working with sales staff, introducing the product to the community and getting ready to play.?

A potential setback arose in early August when the Colorado Eagles, based at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, filed a lawsuit in Larimer County Court claiming the new arena violated the 25-mile marketing radius specified in the team?s contract with the Central Hockey League. However, the Eagles dropped the suit the same day that the arena was approved.

To ensure their concept was sound, Wiens and Frew commissioned a $75,000 feasibility study of the arena by Conventions, Sports and Leisure International that was completed in late June.
?The very first thing we did was to hire an industry expert to tell us if we were crazy or if there really is a market for this arena,? Frew said.

According to the study, the arena could draw more than 375,500 paid visitors each year for minor league play as well as corollary events such as concerts, ice shows, rodeos and trade shows.

On the economic side, the study estimates total direct spending on the arena to be $45 million. More than 600 full- and part-time jobs connected with the construction effort will be created, generating $33.2 million in total earnings and $2.5 million in total tax revenues.

A 42-acre parcel next to the property was slated for a group of six auto dealerships under the banner of ?Dealin? Doug? Moreland. But in mid-August the Arista partners signed a contract to purchase 20 acres of the site from Moreland. The added acres would increase the size of the development to 226 acres.

?It has been the missing triangle out of our project,? explained Edward Barsocchi, project manager for Lowe Enterprises. ?We have always hoped that we would be able to make this parcel part of Arista, and the city council has certainly been hopeful that it would happen as well. The reason we are not purchasing the whole parcel is that the balance will almost certainly be acquired by the city of Broomfield or Colorado Department of Transportation to facilitate the new 120th Avenue alignment and the onramp to U.S. 36.?

The property will be integrated with the rest of the Arista development and will be zoned for mixed-use. The developers anticipate that at least part of it will contain retail developments.
Deputy City and County Manager of Broomfield Charles Ozaki says the city?s estimates of the development?s future potential are healthy as well.

?The overall Arista project is projected to net $4.4 million from sales tax on an annual basis at buildout,? he said. ?It?s our opinion that the project will be successful. It is a unique development, and it will take some time for all its components to come to fruition based on market demands in the area but it is sounding very positive.?

The residential and retail elements of the 206-acre development will include 1,200 residential units for sale and rent as well as approximately 800,000 square feet of retail space, including a 146,000-square-foot Fry?s electronic store.

?We have lots of activity, but I can?t announce any new developments just yet,? said Tim Wiens, who has partnered with Lowe Enterprises to build the mixed-use project. ?We have lots of activity, and documentation is starting to fly around.?

In the meantime, the partners in the project continue to field calls from interested parties on a daily basis.

?I can?t tell you how many people have contacted us wanting to try out for the teams,? Frew laughed. ?We have people who want to drive the Zamboni. We?re getting calls from a range of people from the guy who wants to sell hot dogs on up. It?s invigorating seeing this great, healthy attitude toward the arena.?