"The Ice Rink was installed and opened on time and operated successfully for the season." That line comes from a July 10, 2026 letter to Louisville City Council from the Main Street Louisville Business Improvement District. The rest of the letter explains how close it came to not happening.
The BID agreed in September 2025 to run Old Town Skate for the 2025–26 season. It planned to work with Boulder Creek Events, the rink's longtime operator. When that company stepped away, the BID had to find a new operator and handle installation planning on short notice. Blue Line Sports and Entertainment agreed to run the season, and the BID covered much of the setup cost up front, including a rental agreement for the chiller that keeps the ice frozen. Then came what the letter calls an "unusually warm winter," which made the ice very difficult to maintain.
The rink is coming back for 2026–27 anyway. The reason comes down to a few downtown business owners, a budget vote Council took on October 20, and a city construction schedule that doesn't reach the pavilion until fall 2027.
What one winter of ice costs
The profit and loss statement attached to the BID letter is the most detailed public look at the rink's finances. These figures cover the 2025–26 season.
| 2025–26 season line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Skating entries | $100,696.81 |
| Concessions | $8,082.00 |
| Parties and event rentals | $5,160.00 |
| Tips | $5,275.95 |
| Sponsorship income | $3,737.50 |
| Total sales | $122,952.26 |
| Trane chiller rental | $43,128.88 |
| Operations labor | $50,700.00 |
| Total installation | $37,887.83 |
| Total removal | $6,087.50 |
| Total expenses, with no management fees | $143,256.19 |
More than 40 cents of every dollar skaters paid to get on the ice went to renting the machine that makes the ice. Expenses ran about $20,000 above sales, and that's without paying Blue Line anything to manage the rink. The statement also lists an $8,000 Zamboni rental that was waived for the season.
The letter says the BID still owed Trane USA Inc. $19,809 for the chiller and "has no way to pay that outstanding liability." It asked the City for $35,000 in extra funding for 2025–26. Under the proposal, that money would clear the BID's debts and leave Blue Line with a net of $14,696. The letter calls that "an extremely low amount," which Blue Line would accept in exchange for a "more equitable financial agreement" in future seasons.
Who is running it this winter
On October 20, 2026, City Council adopted Resolution No. 98, which approves the BID's amended 2026 and new 2027 operating plans and budgets. According to the Council communication prepared by Economic Vitality Manager Vanessa Zarate, the budget changes "align with the recently approved agreement with the City for the BID to operate the 2026/2027 Downtown ice-skating rink." Both budgets include running the winter rink.
The same memo says the BID's election to raise money through a mill levy failed on a tied vote. The district keeps operating anyway, and its board plans to partner with the City and the Downtown Business Association on the 2026–27 rink season. The board is still weighing whether to try another mill levy election.
The people behind the rink are familiar Main Street names. The BID's recommended board members are Jennifer Hlawatsch of The Singing Cook, who signed the July letter as BID president, Stephanie Schlageter of Radiance Med Spa, Thomas Horst of Crystal Springs Brewing, and Erik Hartronft of Hartronft Associates. Any other seats stay vacant for 2027.
Resolution No. 98 approves budgets. It's a separate item from the $35,000 the BID requested to close out last season, and the October 20 materials don't decide that request. The staff memo lists "no direct fiscal impact" from approving the BID's operating budget.
Why the pavilion is still open this winter
There's another reason Steinbaugh Pavilion can host ice this year: construction hasn't started yet. In its Front & Center project update dated October 20, 2026, the City of Louisville's Public Works department says staff aims to finalize the project scope in Fall 2026/Winter 2027. New Main Street lighting could start as early as Winter 2027. Construction at Steinbaugh Pavilion and Front Street is expected to start in fall 2027.
The city says it will schedule the work mainly from October through May, in two phases running through spring 2028, "to reduce impacts during our busiest event season." It also says the Street Faire, the Farmers Market, and Taste of Louisville are expected to continue, and that the project may add features that better support those events.
Those named events are all warm-weather events. Last winter the rink ran from November 21 to February 17, which falls squarely inside an October-through-May construction window. The city's update doesn't say what happens to Old Town Skate once pavilion work begins. If the schedule holds, though, the 2026–27 season is the last one before fall 2027, when construction is expected to start at the pavilion where the rink sits.
What to expect at the rink window
The Louisville Chamber of Commerce holiday guide, updated October 23, says outdoor skating is returning to Steinbaugh Pavilion, with opening dates and details still to come. Until the 2026–27 schedule is posted, last season's setup is the best reference:
- Season: November 21 through February 17, according to Skate Louisville. The City confirmed that Tuesday, February 17, 2026 was the last day.
- Price: $10 for adults and $9 for children with skate rental included, and free for kids under 4, according to the rink's ticketing page.
- Hours: Afternoon openings on weekdays and noon openings on weekends, with longer hours over winter break. The ticketing page and the rink site listed different weekday closing times, so check this season's posted hours before you go.
- Beyond open skate: Last season also included private rentals and Broomball.
The economics affect every visit. Skating entries brought in more than 80 percent of the rink's sales last season, and concessions and party rentals together added another $13,242.
The downtown dates around it
The rink isn't the only winter event downtown. Here's the season in order, with each date confirmed for 2026:
- By Sunday, November 15: Illuminate Louisville sign-ups. The City's Cultural Services team is asking businesses and community members to help make Louisville "as bright and festive as possible," starting with decorated storefronts. The Chamber's sign-up notice sets a November 15 deadline. An event date hasn't been announced.
- Thursday, November 26, 9 a.m.: Louisville Turkey Trot. The race starts at Front Street and Pine Street, close to the pavilion, and proceeds go to Community Food Share. Details are on the official race site.
- Saturday, November 28: Small Business Saturday. The Downtown Business Association's day includes the Winter Makers Market, visits with Santa and his mini reindeer, roaming carolers, free gift wrapping, and offers from downtown businesses. The DBA's event page is the place to watch for 2026 hours and locations.
- Friday, December 4, 5 to 8 p.m.: Parade of Lights. The Chamber's parade runs along Historic Main Street from South Street to Parkview, with floats, performers, free hot chocolate, and Santa. Sponsors include South Street Market, Art Major Studio, First Interstate Bank, and AdventHealth Avista.
- Friday, December 4, 5:30 to 7 p.m.: Louisville Historical Museum late hours. The museum stays open late on parade night.
The Chamber's December guide suggests pairing a skate with dinner, drinks, or holiday shopping downtown. That pairing is also how the rink stays open. The businesses on the BID board run it, the Downtown Business Association is a partner this season, and ticket sales are the rink's main source of income.
Once the City posts this season's skate schedule, the Turkey Trot start line, the Small Business Saturday market, and the parade route will all be a short walk from the ice. If watching your downtown get rebuilt one season at a time has you wondering what your own place near Main Street is worth, Marie Jacobs can help. Get your instant home valuation before the ice goes in.
