City of Sheboygan grants 10-year lease extension for Lakers Ice Center
The property is owned by the city and leased to the non-profit Blue Line Association
SHEBOYGAN — The City of Sheboygan has signed a lease extension for Sheboygan Lakers Ice Center, ensuring hockey and figure skating for the next 10 years.
Last month, the Common Council approved the 10-year lease with the Sheboygan Blue Line Association. The non-profit organization will pay the city just $1 annually, unchanged from the original 25-year lease signed when construction started on the $1.2 million facility in July 1988. The city purchased the 10.88-acre property using funds from the State of Wisconsin. Because of that, it is stipulated the land can only be used for recreational purposes.
The association fully maintains the building with no taxpayer funds.
“Blue Line has been exceptional in providing indoor ice-skating related activities to the public, schools, clubs and providing community events,” said Joe Kerlin, the city’s Superintendent of Parks & Forestry. When the association signed the original 25-year lease agreement, it included options to extend the lease for successive ten-year periods by notifying the city. In 2023, they missed an extension request due to staffing changes. This new agreement will be for an initial 10 years with option to extend the lease for successive five-year periods by notifying the city.
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Since 2008, the 32,000-square-foot arena has been known as the Sheboygan Lakers Ice Center. It is located within the Wildwood Industrial Park. In 1977, the city purchased the land from Richard Spiro for $50,000 and annexed property from the Town of Sheboygan. It had been the site of a bar, first called Sunny Side Tavern, then The Bitter End and lastly Talk of the Town. The bar had been plagued numerous burglaries and disturbances before closing and being demolished by the city.
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