Ice center finalizes leasing deal after lawsuit victory

Updated on Oct. 24

The colossal ice facility planned for the Kingsbridge Armory is skating toward the design phase now that the developer has finally inked a lease with the city.

In an Oct. 16 statement, Kingsbridge National Ice Center (KNIC) LLC announced that it has finalized a 99-year lease with the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC). 

The $350 million project, which will feature nine year-round indoor ice rinks, a 50,000-square-foot community space and a wellness center, was approved by the New York City Council in December. 

KNIC plans to dive into the design phase soon, with construction expected to begin in 2016. The official opening is set for late 2017 or early 2018, according to sources familiar with the project. 

KNIC founder Kevin Parker, who is leading the project with New York Rangers legend Mark Messier, said in a statement, “We look forward to advancing what promises to be one of the most exciting development projects in New York City history.”

The news came after Bronx Supreme Court Justice John Barone on Oct. 6 sided with Mr. Parker, a former Deutsche Bank executive, who claimed his former business partners, Jonathan Richter, Marcus Wignell and Jeff Spiritos, had no stake in the development team.

According to a KNIC spokesman, the judge dismissed eight out of 10 of the plaintiff’s claims. 

“We’re obviously contesting the final two remaining claims,” the spokesperson said when asked about the trio’s other claim that they were not compensated for work they performed leading up to the project’s approval.  

NYCEDC President Kyle Kimball reiterated in a statement that the ice arena would bring “significant economic benefits” to the Bronx, citing more than 800 construction jobs and 267 permanent jobs that are expected to come. 

For Councilman Fernando Cabrera, the armory’s current usage is just as contentious as the plans to turn it into an ice arena. 

Last week, Mr. Cabrera, who vacillated over supporting the project throughout discussions last year, criticized NYCEDC for keeping community members out of the planning stages of the Time Warp Festival, a two-day techno dance party that is reportedly scheduled to be held at the armory on Nov. 28 and Nov. 30. 

He told The New York Daily News, “The Kingsbridge Armory is not an arena and, in reality, does not have the infrastructure for such a large-scale event.”