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Bridgerland Community Ice Arena (BCIA)
The Bridgerland Community Ice Arena (BCIA) approached
the SBDC in 1997 requesting help in writing a business
plan, identifying potential funding sources, and creating
a pro forma operating budget for a planned indoor, year-round
ice arena. The state-of-the-art 47,000 square foot ice
skating facility was completed on January 1, 2002 and
is now serving the community with figure skating classes,
hockey programs and recreational skating. It is formally
named, The George S. Eccles Ice Center.
Several Olympic teams used the Eccles Ice Center to practice
for the 2002 Olympics. These teams included the Chinese
Short Track Speed Skaters, Swiss and Slovakian Hockey Teams,
French Figures Skaters, and Russian Figure Skaters, providing
international recognition. The ice arena has been an important
contribution to the community.
The success of this project is attributed to Janet Borg,
who was the driving force behind the creation of the BCIA.
The business plan and financials, which the SBDC helped
with, were often used in fundraising. We also helped secure
personal donations of over $530,000, a USDA Rural Development
Grant of $91,000, assisted with an initiative for reallocation
of sales taxes to help fund the facility, and other funding
sources. In all, the BCIA raised several million dollars.
The SBDC’s initial work with the BCIA the business
plan and Cash Flow statements. Later in the project, the
Director was invited to serve on the BCIA Board of Trustees.
As a member of the Board, he provided assistance in many
other aspects of the project such as fundraising, advertising,
planning the annual Founders Day and Silver on Ice dinner
and auction, and other BCIA activities. Further assistance
included scheduling volunteers for special events, inviting
community members to Silver on Ice, visiting potential
donors as a member of the fund raising committee, and other
activities.
The George S. Eccles Ice Center has contributed significantly
to the community. It will help draw students and faculty
to USU. The SBDC exists, in part, to participate in significant
community endeavors and to offer such community projects
resources and assistance in creating viable and successful
businesses; but recognize that the actual results have
to come from the hard work and devotion of those like Janet
Borg, the BCIA board, and other volunteers.
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