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Sunny skies as McKinney prepares for ice facility
Community celebrated groundbreaking of new Dr Pepper StarCenter.
By Katie Knickerbocker, McKinney Courier-Gazette
Several McKinney city officials along with City Manager Frank Ragan, Craig Ranch owner David Craig and Dallas Stars Executive Vice President Randy Locey picked up shovels shaped like hockey sticks and tossed dirt into the air Friday afternoon at the Dr Pepper StarCenter groundbreaking ceremony.
"Work has begun on the new star center here in McKinney, but I'll tell you it would not be possible without our new, or not so new now, city manager Frank Ragan and the efforts of Randy Locey with the Dallas Stars," Craig said. "We're thrilled for the Starcenter to be a part of our community."
Young hockey players Drew Pitts, Brandon Sizemore and Zack Hefley attended the ceremony and said they play for McKinney Ice Hockey and are excited about the new facility. They said it will be nice to have a place to practice and play games that is close to home and they said they'll enjoy having their own rink.
Speakers thanked MCDC, city staff, MEDC, Balfour Beatty Construction, Boka Powell Architects, the Dallas Stars organization and Craig Ranch for working together to make the project possible.
"You don't see that kind of real partnership happen very often," Ragan said. At one point the project was looking to be close to 1.8 million dollars over budget, Ragan said, but after teaming with Craig and Locey the cost of the project was eventually brought in at it's original budget in terms of the city's contribution.
Locey said they're comfortable the new facility will open by the end of September. It will have two sheets of ice, a full-service StarStuff pro shop, a snack bar, and four party/meeting rooms. McKinney Ice Hockey Club and the AT&T High School Hockey League will be home teams at the StarCenter home as well as other leagues and the Texas Aces which fields travel teams of all ages in the North Texas Hockey League.
The StarCenter will also feature beginner leagues for youth and adult hockey players run by the Dallas Stars, advanced adult hockey leagues, a Learn-to-Skate program, figure skating, birthday parties, public skating, corporate team building events, private ice rentals, camps, clinics, tournaments, and skating competitions.
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