Key Takeaways
- Manatee County commissioners approved business terms for an $80 million indoor sports and ice complex at Premier Sports Campus, fully financed by a private developer.
- The plan calls for at least four ice rinks, a 2,500-seat arena, retail shops, restaurants, and sports medicine facilities on one campus.
- IceMann Development will design, finance, build, maintain, and operate the venue, keeping construction and operating costs off the county’s books.
- Construction is slated to begin in early 2027, with the complex expected to open to athletes and families in 2028.
Manatee County commissioners have approved business terms for an $80 million indoor sports and ice complex at Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch, Florida, a privately financed development that will add at least four ice rinks and a 2,500-seat arena to a county-owned campus that already draws athletes, families, and tournaments from around the country. The company behind the project, IceMann Development, will design, finance, construct, maintain, and operate the facility, according to reporting from SNN.
What the $80 Million Complex Will Include
The proposed indoor sports and ice complex centers on at least four ice rinks paired with a 2,500-seat arena, giving Premier Sports Campus the capacity to host both day-to-day skating and larger ticketed events. The plan also includes retail shops, restaurants, and sports medicine facilities, positioning the venue as a full-service destination rather than a single-use rink.
County officials emphasized that the ice surfaces are built for flexibility. Commissioner Amanda Ballard said the rinks can be converted for other uses, opening the floor to sports such as gymnastics and any activity that needs a large open space. That convertible design widens the calendar of events the campus can book and limits the risk of ice time sitting idle during off-peak hockey months.
A Privately Financed Addition to a County Campus
Under the approved terms, IceMann Development will privately handle design, financing, construction, maintenance, and operation of the complex. That structure keeps the capital cost and ongoing operating burden with the developer rather than the county, a model that lets public sports campuses expand without committing tax dollars to a specialized facility like an ice rink.
The addition continues a multi-year buildout at Premier Sports Campus since Manatee County took over the site. Ballard pointed to the progression from the campus’s original soccer fields, which she described as highly successful, to the later addition of pools and pickleball courts. The ice complex marks the next phase, extending the campus from outdoor field sports into year-round indoor programming.
Sports Tourism and Local Access
Commissioners framed the project as a play for both sports tourism and community access. The campus already draws athletes, families, and tournaments, and county leaders expect the ice complex and its 2,500-seat arena to pull additional out-of-town events to Manatee County.
At the same time, officials stressed the local benefit. Ballard noted that placing the facility near the center of population means families would no longer need to drive long distances to reach an ice rink. Commissioner George Kruse called the ice complex a project that has been discussed for years.
A Shovel in the Ground by 2027, Skaters by 2028
The next steps run through the county’s own approval process. Kruse said the development team will submit a design and site plan for county-level approval, after which construction can begin. The team is still confirming property boundaries, setbacks, civil site requirements, and the building footprint under the Premier Park General Development Plan, meaning the current renderings remain conceptual.
If the timeline holds, construction starts in early 2027 and the doors open in 2028. Kruse framed the payoff in plain terms: within the next 24 months, he expects kids to be out on the ice, learning hockey at a campus that started with soccer fields.
Source: SNN, Cassandra Mischak, July 22, 2026, https://www.snntv.com/news/80-million-indoor-sports-multiplex-project-moves-forward-in-manatee-county/
Image: https://www.bradenton.com/news/local/article314337859.html
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