Appleton Ice, Inc

1
Appleton Ice, Inc

• Strategic Plan

2
Planning Commission

• Formation
• April 2006
• Consisting of users and supporters of our
  facility
• Objective
• Resolve the fundamental issues that challenge the
  Appleton Family Ice Center
• Goal
• Enable the development of a second sheet of ice
• Enable the long-term success of the facility

3
Appleton Family Ice Center Background

• Opened in 1999
• Volunteer board
• Three full-time staff members
• Several part-time
• Not for profit organization
• Serving
• Appleton Area Hockey Association
• Valley Figure Skating Club
• Appleton United High School hockey (boys and
  girls)
• Lawrence University hockey
• Adult Mens hockey
• Adult Womens Hockey
• Ice Dogs
• Ice Cats

4
Mission

• The mission of the Appleton Family Ice Center is
  to provide the community with a recreational ice
  facility that meets the needs of residents in the
  Fox Valley Region and contributes to the local
  economy through tournaments, competitions and
  events.

5
Planning Commission Findings

• Second sheet pro-forma financial model
  demonstrates that greater than 70 ice
  utilization is required during winter operation
• It is likely that the second sheet will
  negatively affect ice sales at Tri-County Arena,
  Oshkosh YMCA, and the current ice sheet.
• Projected future ice demand from current
  organizations using AFIC will not support the
  required ice utilization
• The City of Appleton will support Appleton Family
  Ice Center, but without a plan to increase our
  service to the community it will be difficult to
  attain more financial support from them.
• The Appleton Family Ice Center is not well known
  within the community at large. 
• Feedback from the Visitor and Convention Bureau
  confirmed that there is little belief that a
  larger facility will create business
  opportunities.
• Input from other organizations that have executed
  large capital campaigns suggests that fundraising
  in phases (outdoor ice first) will not achieve
  ultimate goal. Advice was to go for entire
  amount.

6
Planning Commission Findings

• The cost of ice skating is identified as a key
  factor limiting the growth of the skating
  organizations.
• Ice rates at Appleton Family Ice Center are in
  the middle range of ice rinks within Wisconsin
  and Minnesota 
• Ice rates are hard to compare due to differences
  in operating structure. 
• Many organizations in Minnesota are owned by the
  community through parks and recreation or the
  public schools. 
• The FonduLac rink and the Cornerstone Community
  Center are both aligned with the youth hockey
  programs.  These organizations provide volunteer
  services and fees directly to the operation of
  the rink.
• In meetings with members of the Tri-County Ice
  Rink management team, there was some interest in
  exploring joint operation options. The goal
  would be to improve operational efficiency and
  ice utilization.

7
Planning Commission Conclusions

• Ice availability at Appleton Family Ice Center is
  at a critical point, there isnt enough to
  satisfy the needs of partner groups or the
  community. 
• The identified ice shortage will not support the
  operation of the second sheet of ice.  Without
  new skaters and new programs the second sheet
  will have financial issues. 
• A larger base of users from the community will
  help with fund-raising and developing support
  from the City of Appleton. 
• Appleton Family Ice Center and its partner groups
  need to work in unison to attain the goal of a
  second sheet. 
• Appleton Family Ice Center needs to develop
  programming that supports and enhances the
  Appleton Parks and Recreation programs.  This
  will lead to a better partnership with the City
  of Appleton and will help with attracting new
  skaters.
• The cost of entry into ice sports is higher than
  many other of the sport options.  To attract new
  skaters, a means to offer a low cost of entry is
  required.  We will need partnerships with other
  organizations, support from the city, additional
  fundraising, and potentially grants to develop
  programs to attract new skaters.
• The fixed costs of AFIC, primarily debt
  maintenance, requires a business plan with a
  component to significantly reduce existing debt
  so, debt reduction is a recommended component of
  the fund-raising campaign for the second sheet of
  ice.

8
Four Part Plan

• Create Low Cost Second Sheet
• Execute Capital Campaign
• Grow Skater Base
• Create Two Sheet Operating Plan

9
Create Low Cost Second Sheet

• Why
• Current debt limits scope of new project
• Goal
• 1.5 million construction cost
• Tactics
• New design based on minimizing cost
• Used equipment, including boards, glass, and
  refrigeration
• Volunteer construction
• Gain approval from city for bare bones plan

10
Execute Capital Campaign

• Why
• Significantly increasing debt load of facility
  will create financial instability
• Goal
• Total debt after 2nd sheet construction lt 2
  million
• Proposed Tactics
• Campaign based on goal to reduce debt to
  facilitate 2nd sheet
• Campaign based on goal to maintain ice costs
• Pursue city with plan that combines debt payment
  with debt relief

11
Grow Skater Base

• Why
• Need new skaters to fill required demand for
  second sheet
• Need larger base of users for fund raising
• Goal
• Increase user base by 15
• Proposed Tactics
• Joint programs to attract new skaters, including
  learn to skate and learn to play hockey
• City of Appleton
• Valley Figure Skating
• Appleton Area Hockey Association
• Boys and Girls Club
• Promotional events to increase awareness of
  Appleton Family Ice Center and programs
• Programs for alternative uses like broomball

12
Create Two Sheet Operating Plan

• Why
• Obtain commitments for ice sales prior to
  construction
• Goal
• Pledge ice rental commitments totaling 1200
  additional hours
• Proposed Tactics
• Create a business plan based on the number of
  hours to be sold by user group and program
• Create a business plan that defines the most cost
  effective operational model, including the use of
  volunteers

13
Task Force Approach

• Create a task force for each part of the plan
• Task force leader
• Task force members
• Empowered to develop plans to achieve goals
• Task force leader member of AFIC Board of
  Directors
• Plans of four task forces coordinated to build
  upon each other