Novi's city-owned ice arena returns to the political spotlight Wednesday evening when the Finance and Administration Committee tours the rink and holds a formal discussion on its future.
The committee meets at 5:30 p.m. July 22, at the Novi Civic Center, 45175 Ten Mile Road. Mayor Fischer, Mayor Pro Tem Casey, and Council Member Staudt will attend, with City Manager Victor Cardenas serving as staff liaison, according to the posted agenda.
It is the first committee-level discussion of the ice arena since the full City Council directed staff in March to solicit bids for a potential sale of the property with deed restrictions. The adjacent dog park would be excluded from any sale.
A debate months in the making
At the committee's January 20 meeting, Mayor Fischer said a sale would generate roughly $4 million "that could then be used to benefit a larger portion of the community." Council Member Staudt said at the same meeting that he does not think the city should be in the ice arena business and worried the facility would become more run down without a clear capital improvement plan.
By March 23, staff presented three options to City Council: solicit sale bids with deed restrictions, commission additional studies costing $10,000 to $45,000, or maintain current operations. Council members discussed receiving an offer from Suburban Arena Management, which has operated the facility for about 20 years.
A January 15 report from Suburban identified charging Novi and Northville high school hockey teams roughly $8,000 each per season as a potential revenue opportunity, a change from the long-standing arrangement under which the teams used the facility without fees.
Residents push back
The potential sale drew sharp opposition at the April 13 City Council meeting. Emily Fox Wright, a resident of Argyle Street, told the council that selling a self-sustaining rink for short-term cash was shortsighted.
"Prices go up, maintenance is delayed, and ice sports become available to only those that can afford them," Fox Wright said during public comment, challenging council members to investigate what happens when rinks are sold to profit-driven buyers.
Cameron Wright, Andy Specht, and Alex Erskine also spoke against the sale. Specht said hockey families invested nearly $10,000 in locker room renovations in 2025, about $500 per varsity player. The Novi High School hockey locker room was funded entirely by families, alumni, and boosters.
The arena operates as an enterprise fund, meaning it is supported by user fees rather than general tax revenue.
What's also on the agenda
The committee will also review a draft Use of Facilities Policy dated July 17, which would establish uniform procedures for use of all major city facilities, including the ice arena, Civic Center, parks, and fire and police stations.
What comes next
The FAC is advisory. Any recommendation on the arena's future would require a vote by the full City Council. Residents can monitor agendas at cityofnovi.org.
