With a new 20-year lease agreement for the Dallas Stars-led partnership, the city of McKinney and the McKinney Community Development Corp. is kicking in millions to expand the facility with an additional ice rink and 1,800 new seats.
The 46,000-square-foot expansion also will include more parking and an expanded locker room for hockey players. It will be paid for with a $3.5 million grant from the McKinney Community Development Corp. and $5 million from the city of McKinney.
By adding another sheet of ice with 1,800 seats at the StarCenter, McKinney CDC Board Chair Kurt Kuehn said McKinney will be able to increase the community programming of the venue and attract larger events and tournaments to the facility.
In the new 20-year lease agreement, the StarCenter — a partnership between the Stars, McKinney, MCDC and Craig Ranch — will pay $60,000 per month for rent for years one though five, before increasing to $65,000 per month in years six through 20.
The eight-year-old partnership leases the facility, which has two existing sheets of ice, a pro shop, snack bar and four meeting rooms. The StarCenter is home to the McKinney Ice Hockey Club and the Texas Aces.
The facility also has youth and adult hockey leagues run by the Dallas Stars, with events that include corporate team building events, tournaments and parties. Each year, the city estimates about 250,000 people visit the StarCenter.
Mayor George Fuller said the expansion could be a catalyst into attracting larger events or even a minor league hockey team to the city.