Ice hockey complex with two NHL-sized rinks planned near lake in Chesterfield

Several years after opening a smaller facility in Powhatan, local ice hockey promoter Fred Festa envisioned a two-rink facility in Chesterfield.

Chesterfield Sports Enterprises, a Festa-related entity, plans to build an 89,000-square-foot facility that would include two NHL-sized ice hockey rinks once fully constructed.

The facility would rise at 2300 Genito Place, southwest of the Route 288 and Powhite Parkway interchange in the western part of the county.

Ryan Winfree, who will be the venue's general manager, said the rink is designed as a venue for youth and adult hockey training and clinics, as well as figure skating and a destination for youth hockey tournaments. It is expected to have 800 spectator seats and 10 locker rooms.

“We are confident that we can fill this facility and cost-effectively operate a high-end, state-of-the-art facility,” Winfree said.

The facility is expected to be built in two phases. The first phase is expected to be completed in May 2026 and would involve the construction of a 46,000-square-foot structure with the first ice cap, 400 spectator seats and some of the planned locker rooms. The rest of the facility's features, including its second rink and the remaining planned square footage, would follow in the second phase.

Winfree declined to comment on the overall cost estimate for the facility, other than to say it would be a “multi-million” dollar investment.

Minneapolis-based firm JLG Architects was chosen to handle the design of the facility. The general contractor for the project is EDC and the engineer is Balzer and Associates.

Festa's group signed a contract to purchase the project site. The currently forested parcel is nearly 9 acres and owned by Waterford Knox LLC. It was recently assessed at about $578,000, according to online county records.

Winfree said the plan is to begin clearing the property and starting work on the site later this year.

The venue does not yet have an official name. Winfree said his plan is to sell the naming rights to the facility.

The Chesterfield project aims to build on the business of Powhatan Ice Den, a 14,000-square-foot facility owned by Festa in Powhatan County. Festa's group also sees the Chesterfield project as a step toward an ultimate goal: attracting a professional hockey team to the area.

“We would love to have a professional team here, that’s Fred’s main goal,” said Winfree, general manager of the Powhatan facility and Festa’s son-in-law. “We learned a lot and grew a lot, so we thought we could grow and continue to grow.”

Festa, a retired chemical industry executive, owned the AA East Coast Hockey League team, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, from 2012 to 2018. He floated the idea of ​​bringing a new minor league hockey team to Richmond as part of the Navy Hill arena-anchored project that failed to move forward in Richmond in 2020.

Winfree said the Chesterfield facility would not be suitable for professional hockey games because there are not expected to be enough seats. But it could be a training facility for a professional team that would play games in a future larger arena in the area.

The Powhatan Ice Den opened in fall 2021 in the Oakbridge Business Park. The Richmond Generals, a youth hockey organization, rents the rink for practices and games. The Powhatan Rink also operates a women's hockey club in addition to clinics for children and adults.

Winfree said the future Chesterfield facility aims to strengthen the group's existing relationship with SkateNation Plus and Richmond Ice Zone owner Brad Robinson, who is president of the Generals. Program details for the Chesterfield rink are still being worked out.

“We will continue this partnership to continue to grow youth hockey,” Winfree said.

The Chesterfield ice hockey stadium would be built on land adjacent to The Lake, a large mixed-use complex expected to include a surf pool under construction. Also nearby is the River City Sportsplex, a county-owned youth sports tournament venue.

The Festa project would be similar in size to a two-rink sports and entertainment complex planned as part of the county's current District 60 Springline project in Midlothian.

A Chesterfield spokesperson did not respond Friday to a request for comment on the current status of that plan. By late 2023, Chesterfield was wondering if ice hockey rinks would be part of the project.