Chino approves $75,000 contract for 'Chino on Ice' rink south of City Hall, set for Dec. 6 to Jan. 3
The City Council on Oct. 6 approved a contract with The Holidays on Ice Inc. for a temporary real-ice skating rink next to City Hall. Admission is planned at $20 for Chino residents and $30 for nonresidents, including skate rental.
Chino plans to open a temporary outdoor ice rink beside City Hall this holiday season after the City Council on Oct. 6 hired The Holidays on Ice Inc. under a $75,000 contract.
The contract was on the consent calendar, which passed 5-0, according to the meeting minutes.
Dates, place and prices
A staff report says the rink will debut at Chino's yearly Tree Lighting Ceremony and run for about four weeks, Dec. 6, 2026, through Jan. 3, 2027.
It will go up just south of City Hall's front lawn, on a lot the county once used for parking. The report describes a rink of real ice, 100 feet long and 40 feet wide, with room for as many as 120 skaters an hour in each session.
An admission ticket covers one hour on the ice plus skate rental, the report says. Prices listed in the report:
- Chino residents: $20
- Nonresidents: $30
- Youth groups larger than 10: $15 a person
- Skate aid: $10
- Private party: $1,600
Hours
For the first two weeks, planned hours are 3 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 2 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.
In weeks three and four, the rink is scheduled to open at 10 a.m. every day. It would close at 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and at 8:30 p.m. Sunday.
Holiday hours are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Eve, and 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on New Year's Day.
The report says weather could force changes to the schedule.
Cost and selection
The money comes from the general fund, which will front a $37,500 deposit, half the contract, to start the agreement. Staff expects sponsorships to pay back the whole $75,000, so the general fund would see no net cost, the report says.
Mayor Pro Tem Curtis Burton noted that expectation during the meeting, according to the minutes.
Chino requested proposals May 7 and received three on June 4. A ranking in the report places Ice Rentals LLC first, The Holidays on Ice second and Premier Rink Solutions LLC third.
After the scope of work changed, the city asked all three companies to resubmit their fees, the report says. Staff then chose The Holidays on Ice based on the proposals, the revised fees and how well each fit the city's requirements.
Under the contract, the company is responsible for building and running the rink, including staffing, ticket sales and equipment, the report says. Plans also call for holiday lights, decorations and music around the ice.
The report describes the rink as a new addition to the city's holiday lineup, which already includes the tree lighting and the Chino Youth Christmas Parade and Fair.
