Renovation on Ice: Chesterfield looks at a hockey spot on Spring Rock Green

The hockey facility would rise to the northeast corner of the site in the purple area. (Courtesy Chesterfield County)

Chesterfield officials have just acquired Spring Rock Green, and have revealed their views on one of the first major parts of their plan to renovate the aging shopping center on Chippenham Parkway and Midlothian Turnpike.

The provincial Economic Development Authority confirmed this week that negotiations have been completed on the rise of a two-field indoor hockey hall on part of a 42-acre property it bought last week for $ 16 million.

The slopes would be the main destination for a 100,000-square-foot foot sports and entertainment venue that takes you to the northeast corner of the site. It would have two National Hockey League-sized ice rinks, 200 feet long and 85 feet wide.

According to the county authorities, the site would be the only one in an area with two such fields. The space would be open to youth hockey tournaments and skating programs as well as public skating. The venue is expected to include a sports bar as well as other amenities.

We had a group that came to say they wanted to build a two-sheet tournament-level facility in the area, Garrett Hart, Chesterfield’s director of economic development, said Monday. You have to have two sheets, a sports bar and all these things. They wanted to do it in Chesterfield and needed a location.

Garrett Hart

Hart refused to identify the group that approached the county project. He said the county is building the facility for an unknown operator under a lease.

Hart said a lease between the EDA and the operator is currently being drafted and he expected it to be completed next week.

The area purchased by EDA last week covers most of the mall, but it did not include blocks outside the Midlothian Turnpike used by Chipotle Mexican Grill, Panera Bread and others. EDA bought the property from Bond Cos. In Chicago with plans to sell the project areas to developers.

In addition to the hockey venue, the county is planning Spring Rock Greens for future uses, including more than 1,000 homes, a 190-room hotel, more than 290,000 square feet of office, retail and restaurant space.

The site needs to be refurbished for everything to happen. Hart said he expects the relocation process to be completed early next year.

Construction is expected to begin in the summer of 2022, and the completion date for the first phase of the project is in the fall of 2023, which will include an ice facility and part of the development of residential, office and commercial components.

Cooper Carry, an Atlanta-based architectural firm, has been hired to design a master plan for the development.

Youth hockey would put another feather on Chesterfields sports tourism, which includes state and regional volleyball tournaments at the Richmond Volleyball Club over the Stonebridge Development Round and lacrosse, football and field hockey tournaments at the county-owned River City Sportsplex.

Tourism in the Richmond area is very excited about this new development that would increase our sports tourism infrastructure, Jack Berry, president and CEO of Richmond area tourism, said of the ice facility in preparation.

The area needs more ice cubes the size of indoor hockey regulations to make it attractive for organizing hockey tournaments, figure skating competitions, and serving the needs of residents, Berry said.

Chesterfields ’announcement comes when Powhatan Ice Den, a youth hockey hall, opens in neighboring Powhatan County.