RENO - Nearly five years after the historic Mapes Hotel was blasted to rubble, there is a firm plan for the former hotel site along the Truckee River in downtown Reno.
The Reno City Council approved a design Wednesday that includes a rectangular skating rink, a stage for theater and concerts and a retail building with plans for four restaurants.
The rink, to be shaded by a large canopy, is nearly as large as an NHL rink.
It will replace the circular rink the city has operated each winter since 1996. Officials scrapped the old rink this year, saying it would have cost too much to operate.
The larger rink, scheduled to open by Nov. 1, will allow for more activities, including hockey games. Councilwoman Sharon Zadra said the change could make the rink a significant revenue generator for the city.
The council authorized City Manager Charles McNeely to spend as much as $860,000 to prepare the site for construction.
The total cost for the plaza could reach $6 million, but the cost of the canopy hasn't been established. The council members have asked Finance Director Andy Green to find an appropriate funding source once construction costs are established.
The design gives the plaza a unique look while also providing shade in the summer and protecting the rinks ice in the winter.
The oval canopy will be suspended by cables connected to two towering, curved supports that jut out from the plaza like massive bullhorns. The support towers will stand about 120 feet tall.
The historic hotel was imploded Jan. 30, 2000.
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