The cost of building a new Kin 4 arena would be $22.2 million, compared to $15.8 million to demolish and rebuild the Kin 1 arena, according to a city report released on Friday.
PBK Architects Inc. was hired by the city to review the cost of the two options after members of the city's hockey and skating community petitioned city council to build a new arena in March. The city committed to rebuild Kin 1 as part of its bid to host the 2015 Canada Winter Games.
"In light of the cost analysis that would require additional capital funding for a stand-alone arena... administration requests that council provide direction to continue with the project outline in option A," city community services director Colleen Van Mook wrote in her report to council. "With timelines that are already tight, we suggest that the next stages of the project begin immediately."
In addition to the capital cost difference, the PBK report stated the cost of operating an additional arena would be approximately $204,765 per year.
Demolishing and rebuilding Kin 1 could be completed by October, 2013, Van Mook added. Constructing a new arena, including getting approvals from Canada Games officials, likely wouldn't be complete until September, 2014 - less than a year from the 2015 Canada Winter Games in February, 2015.
The proposal to build a new arena would also leave $3.28 million in upgrades needed the Kin Centre in future years, PBK reported.
Prince George Recreational Hockey League administrator Al Hines said advocates for the arena are planning to attend Monday's city council meeting to show their support for a new arena.
After an initial review of the report, Hines said the numbers don't add up to him.
"We looked at a 1,500-seat facility in Kelowna. That building was built for $13 million, soft-costs in," he said. "Why would it cost more to demolish a building and rebuild it, than to build the same thing on an open site? That does not make sense."
The Kin 1 reconstruction was estimated at $10.6 million, with an additional $5.2 million in upgrades to the rest of the Kin Centre.
The report pegged new construction at $16.1 million, $5.47 million to upgrade the existing Kin Centre - including a new roof for Kin 1 - and $629,000 for a new lobby.
"There is something that does not add up here," Hines said. "They're going to spend $16 million to get nothing in return - an upgraded Kin 1."
The report will be debated at city council's regular meeting on Monday at 7 p.m.
See The Citizen editorial on page 6.
