How do I find a private ice rink for sale?

This page is about private rinks and training-ice facilities, not municipal arenas. They are few, and owners may know their customers well. That shapes the search. You are less likely to find a rink than to be introduced to one, so the work is mostly about being known by the people who hear first.

The people who hear first

Hockey schools, minor and adult leagues that rent ice, figure-skating clubs and learn-to-skate programs all depend on a handful of facilities, so they notice when an owner is thinking of leaving. Refrigeration contractors and ice-equipment suppliers also see service calls and parts orders change. Tell them what you are looking for and ask them to mention it. A broker who handles recreation businesses may also know of quiet sales.

Ice-time contracts and real estate are two questions

The business is largely the right to sell ice time to regular renters. The property is a separate asset. Ask whether the seller owns the building, leases it, or wants to keep it and rent it back. Ask which renters are on written agreements, which are handshake arrangements, and whether a renter would stay after a change of owner. Your lawyer can read the agreements and tell you what transfers.

First questions about the plant and the season

Ask how old the refrigeration plant and the ice resurfacer are, who services them and whether service records exist. Ask when the rink is busiest, whether it runs all year, and what happens to the building in the off months. An independent refrigeration contractor can inspect the plant for you, and you may want that done before you commit.