State Fair to shut down, popular ice rink, citing $1 million cost of needed repairs

The release continued, ...the board  was presented with the specific financial reality the fair was facing concerning the overwhelming mechanical failures combined with fiscal expenditures needed to open, run, and maintain the ice rink."

The release cited "several mechanical failures occurring in late November leading to overwhelming capital funds needed to bring the Rink online for current and future operations."

Fair General Manager Danny Aguilar said the arena had a preventative maintenance budget and had invested funds over the years. However, the failure of compressors last year presented an insurmountable challenge.

The needed repairs would have totaled more than $1 million, according to a release. 

 “We know how difficult this decision is for our community members who have called the Centre Ice Rink home for the past 20 years,” stated Aguilar. “Because we care deeply for our athletes, coaches, and their families, it is important to us that we honor them during this transition and ensure they will receive ample time to find a new home before the next season begins in eight months and we will be providing informational resources to assist in the transition. With new information coming online today a new option for families to consider would be the proposed Dover Civic Arena, a future home for ice skating programming.”

Thanks to the arena, a hockey community that included a minor league team emerged in central Delaware. The arena also provided a recreation option for the area around  Harrington. 

The concept of an arena to the north in  Dover  has been discussed  for decades and has lately been viewed  as a home for the Delaware Thunder hockey team. The State Fair cited numerous reasons for ending a contract with the team that included the lack of seating for games. 

The building that once housed the ice rink will eventually  become a year-round  multi-use event center for the area.

Contrary to the popular perception, the State Fair is self-supporting and is not under state ownership.

The fair has gained national attention in recent years for its food, agricultural  and entertainment offerings. 

Members, often with ties to the state's agricultural community, are shareholders.

The ice arena emerged  near the end of a  boom period for casino-race track at the fair property.

Delaware's gaming revenues have been under pressure from out of state venues in Maryland and Pennsylvania.

Two of the three gaming venues in Delaware  were  sold to a casino company (Bally's)  with Delaware Park sold to Canadian investors and people with ties to the gambling industry.

Aguilar said the rink has always operated separately from the fair and the casino and had long faced financial challenges that with the equipment failures were too great to overcome.