History
Due to changing consumer habits, the Southbridge Mall saw one of its flagship stores close in 2015. The JCPenney department store, one in a series of closings for the chain in recent years. [2] A few years later, after mounting financial losses and the impending loss of a second anchor store, Younkers, the mall's operator walked away from the property and ownership reverted to the city. With the mall continuing to lose money, Mason City decided to invest several million dollars to refurbish part of the mall into a large, multi-purpose arena. [3]
The new ice rink was revealed in 2020, just in time for the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent any practical use of an indoor facility. Once the worst from the pandemic had passed, the city was able to sign a contract with the Amarillo Bulls, bringing the North American Hockey League franchise to Iowa for the fall of 2021. Concurrent with that move, the existing North Iowa Bulls of the North American 3 Hockey League would also take up residence at the new rink, giving the venue two permanent tenants. [4]
Though the arena continues to operate at a loss (approximately $18,000 per month as of November, 2024), the Mason City Council believes that the arena is still a net-positive for the community as property values have increased while other businesses have moved into the area. The project has apparently provided enough benefit that another mall in Des Moines, Iowa, the Merle Hay Mall, is considering a similar approach to its own financial problems.
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