An arena for the county

An arena would bring relief to the hundreds of families that have had to traipse into the District of Columbia or neighboring counties for graduation ceremonies because existing halls aren’t large enough, but that’s not reason enough to build one.

An arena could also be rented out for minor league basketball and hockey, track meets, tennis and lacrosse matches, spiritual revivals, horse shows and more, according to the economic feasibility study that was released last summer. More understanding of this business model is required. (The study said an arena wouldn’t cannibalize business from other venues, which have different missions and audiences.)

Depending upon the development deal and private sector involvement, ownership and management, the chances are good that such a place would operate in the black; if public bonds are used to help finance construction, the debt would not be oppressive, the study said. Nonetheless, in a cautionary note, the study said ‘‘as will all projects or endeavors, feasibility does not guarantee success.”

As was the case with the North Bethesda conference center, the demand for an arena exists although the same formula to support a conference center or music venue — namely public sector subsidies — might not be the best approach for an upcounty arena in these precarious budget times.

Today’s critical questions center around location, ownership, management, timing and any cost to taxpayers.

Opportunities to find a suitable site are dwindling and prices for open land aren’t dropping. The county bus depots and warehouses near the Shady Grove Metrorail station need to be relocated — probably northward — when that Rockville industrial neighborhood is transformed into a community of houses, shops and offices in the next 20 years. The county’s fire and police training academy is looking to move from its Darnestown home. The group that runs the county fairgrounds in Gaithersburg is considering moving northward and is said to be examining several upcounty sites; perhaps an arena might fit there.

A few potential arena locations, such as the South Germantown SoccerPlex and the Germantown campus of Montgomery College, are being considered and a couple will certainly bring protests from neighbors who don’t want an arena and the traffic and noise in their back yards.

Whether the state and county governments should have a major financial stake in an arena is still to be determined. The County Council needs better information.

An ideal scenario would have a private company, selected through a competitive bidding process, step up and assume most of the risk, with government providing some support through improvements to roads and services. These costs would be recovered through admissions and use taxes.

As it contemplates many budget issues in the days ahead, the County Council should give a final upcounty arena study prominence on its list of short-term priorities. Any ambivalence threatens to stall an answer about whether the county should shelve the idea or proceed with caution.