Politics & Government

City Council To Discuss Suspending Holiday Ice Rink; Also on Agenda is Creation of New Shop Local Campaign

Two items on tonight's City Council agenda highlight how Pleasanton is being impacted by the economic downturn.

Pleasanton most likely will not have a holiday ice rink this year.

The rink was a result of a partnership between San Jose Arena Management and the city of Pleasanton. It was supposed to bring in up to 30,000 visitors and help revitalize downtown.

But according to City Manager Nelson Fialho, ticket sales and class attendance amounted to just 10,000 people during six weeks of operation.

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Fialho said it's difficult to pinpoint why there were fewer visitors than anticipated. The economy, placement of the rink and wet weather last year could have been factors.

The city looked at three locations for the ice rink this year. The Stoneridge Mall parking area was a possibility, but rental fees were high. Fialho said visibility also was an issue at that location.

Find out what's happening in Pleasantonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Leasing a space at the Alameda County Fairgrounds would have cost $7,500 per month.

The Delucchi Park location was rejected because the city essentially would need to "rebuild" the park after the season at a cost of $60,000.

Fialho said the ideal would be to keep the rink on Main Street so that nearby businesses would benefit from the "spillover effect."Β 

The City Council will decide the fate of the ice rink during its Tuesday meeting at 7 p.m.

Though the lease agreement between the city and San Jose Arena Management likely will be suspended this year, the rink could return in the future.Β 

Unveiling Shop Local Campaign

The city of Pleasanton will unveil its Holiday Shop Local Campaign. According to a city staff report, the campaign's purpose is to generate business during "a difficult economic climate."

The effort asks residents, "Why do you love to shop around town?" Using social-networking platforms as well as traditional marketing tools, organizers hope to encourage local shopping. The campaign includes giving away a $1,000 Pleasanton gift card.

The campaign will cost $58,000.


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