Gilroy, known for its home-grown garlic, could soon be a destination for something completely different and far colder — a year-round indoor ice skating center that might be amongst the most important within the Bay Area.
The massive ice sports complex might be operated entirely by the San Jose Sharks and is scheduled to open in the autumn of 2026 on the southern fringe of Gilroy as a part of the expanding Gilroy Sports Park
“This should be a target building and a reason to get off Route 101,” said City Manager Jimmy Forbis. “You don’t even have to be there to enjoy the ice cream…It’s truly a community center.”
The Gilroy Ice Center design plan unveiled this week calls for an 80,000-square-foot complex with two NHL-sized rinks, a restaurant, skate rentals, a store and a fitness center that might be open to the general public. There might be a bar and restaurant on the second floor between the 2 rinks, allowing visitors to look at hockey games or skaters through windows overlooking the ice.
The recent rinks will host figure skating and ice hockey, in addition to low-income and after-school programs. The site could also function a hub for adult and youth ice hockey tournaments and curling leagues, which could attract visitors and tourism, said Scott Emmert, vp of communications for the San Jose Sharks.
“I think the biggest thing for us is how excited we are to continue to grow youth hockey in the Bay Area,” Emmert said. “We have a very strong fan base in South County, so it makes a lot of sense on a lot of fronts.”
This isn't the Sharks' first attempt at operating NHL-sized rinks for public use. The team has worked with Oakland, San Jose and Fremont, but Gilroy's might be amongst the most important within the Bay Area after the Sharks Ice Center in San Jose.
The revelation follows years of discussions with the San Jose Sharks dating back to 2018 and 2019, Forbis said. After COVID-19 stalled talks, negotiations resumed in 2022 because the Sharks and Gilroy began hammering out the project. Last yr, the architectural firm Perkins&Will began design work on the project.
The design and the project itself were positively received by the general public and town council during this week's discussion.
“I just want to say how happy I am with the way it looks,” Mayor Marie Blankley said. “It’s a real victory for Gilroy.”
“It’s something that’s been in the works for a long time … but now seeing the fruits is exciting,” said City Council Member Tom Cline. “It will have a huge impact on this community and the surrounding area.”
Palemon Fausto, a Gilroy resident and member of the Nor Cal Carpenters Union, said he worked on the Sharks Ice Center in San Jose and saw its impact – it was a spot for youngsters and families and provided a “great benefit” to the community , he said. “We also give our children a place to use their energy and prevent them from being left out on the streets.”
Fausto and other union members called on the council to make sure construction uses fair labor practices and native union work. The call was taken up by council members Zach Hilton and Rebeca Armendariz, who urged city staff and other council members to incorporate contract language in the foremost project that stops labor abuses equivalent to wage theft and human trafficking.
City staff will begin accepting bids for a contractor to construct the project later this yr. Current estimates for construction costs range between $30 million and $35 million. The project might be paid for by the Sharks through a bond payment, with Gilroy borrowing the cash and the Sharks footing the bill.
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