The Frank Southern Ice Arena will undergo a series of renovations this summer following an ammonia leak before reopening in the fall.
In March, the arena closed a couple days before the end to the season due to an ammonia leak. Anhydrous ammonia is a type of refrigerant used to keep ice frozen.
The City of Bloomington is also considering future, larger-scale improvements to modernize its systems.
The arena has undergone various renovations since it was built in 1966, with the most recent major work done in 2001, but is still overdue for many improvements.
Satoshi Kido, sports services division director for the city, said the city will invest between $15,000 and $20,000 to expand the alarm system, recharge the ammonia, test the air flow and replace the gasket. The money will come from the Parks General Fund and the Parks Non-Reverting Fund budgets.
“Sports provide lots of opportunities for the children that we have in this community, and the arena is one of them, one of the facilities we want to keep in the future to try to provide opportunity for the community members,” Kido said.
Long term, the city is considering three options: replacing the ammonia cooling system and equipment with a new system using a modern refrigerant for between $3 million and $4 million; replacing the direct cooling system with an indirect system, which the city estimates would cost about $1.2 million; or building an entirely new facility, which would cost upwards of $12 million.
Kido said after meeting with stakeholders last week to start discussing the future of the arena, many seem to prefer building a new facility. Funding for it would come from grants, bonds and fundraising.
“I don't think we can get a new arena in two or three years to be honest with you,” he said. “It takes time, so longer vision I have is five to seven years.”
Kido will meet again with stakeholders in June. Any final decisions will be made with the Board of Park Commissioners and Bloomington community.
Kido said the arena will still be available for groups to rent out during the summer months for roller derby and roller skating.
Between 60,000 and 65,000 people visit the arena annually. According to a report from the city, between 2021 and 2025, operating expenses have been higher than revenue, which means the arena has been operating at a deficit.
| Year | Expenses | Revenue | Cost Recovery |
| 2025 | $520,469 | $305,415 | 58.7% |
| 2024 | $464,681 | $308,177 | 66.3% |
| 2023 | $457,364 | $312,160 | 68.3% |
| 2022 | $435,865 | $271,462 | 62.3% |
| 2021 (COVID) | $340,622 | $159,436 | 46.81% |
Graph courtesy of the City of Bloomington
Members of the City’s Sports Division staff are working on developing a business plan to increase cost recovery rate and grow business. Some options include increasing summer use for rental groups, extending the ice season by a few weeks in the fall and spring and increasing sponsorship revenue through naming rights, advertising and grants.
