By Austin Petroski
As part of the River Landing district, Coralville would like to add a new sports arena to the area.
The arena has a tentative groundbreaking planned for later this year, with a projected completion date in spring 2019. Officials say they expect the project to cost $45.9 million and to have the capacity to have 4,216 seats and host approximately 6,216 people for events.
The Johnson County Board of Supervisors announced June 9 that the county will put $200,000 toward the new arena.
The proposed arena is slated to host the University of Iowa’s men and women’s club hockey teams, along with the Iowa City-Coralville Hockey Association youth teams.
The Iowa Fitness and Sports Performance Institute would be connected to the arena and would be dedicated to sports science and exploring sports-training metrics.
Joshua Schamberger, president of Iowa City/Coralville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, said that once the U.S. Hockey League heard about the proposed arena, it became interested.
“The [league] has a strong presence in Iowa and the Midwest, and I believe the proximity to other teams is very attractive … in addition to a brand-new arena,” he said in an email.
The league has five teams in Iowa, with teams in Dubuque, Cedar Rapids, and Waterloo.
Schamberger also said there has been no discussion about an indoor football team, but that it is not out of the realm of possibility.
Coralville Mayor John Lundell said the economic benefits gained from the arena and River Landing would be both short- and long-term.
He said that initially, the arena project would create construction jobs and would attract people from many trades.
“This is good timing, because other jobs sites are currently wrapping up,” he said. “This will keep construction workers in the area.”
Lundell said the development would help to keep the area a “wonderful” place to stay and would be an enhancement for the community.
“The more we can make this area an attraction, I don’t think can be overstated,” he said.
Lundell also said feedback from community members has been positive.
“People are so excited about it; some people didn’t think it was going to happen,” he said.
Coralville City Administrator Kelly Hayworth said he thinks the arena will bring lots of amateur sports events to the area. Concerts will also be important because the area has not been able to host such events.
“This arena will bring lots of activities that cannot be held here right now,” he said, noting that the feedback he has heard from the community has been very positive.