The McFetridge Sports Center is one of the CPD’s two indoor ice facilities and the closest one to the city’s downtown population center. McFetridge’s ice offerings included only a single full sheet of ice for recreational and competitive use, despite demand for ice time that skyrocketed during the 2010s and saw programs at full capacity for 18 hours daily. The Park District was exploring opportunities for expansion and David completed a feasibility study of multiple scenarios.

The CPD, and its operator SMG (now ASM Global), identified two potential expansion options: adding a second full ice sheet or a new studio sheet. The study analyzed past operations of the facility (such as annual usage by type, group, and season, and revenues and expenses), the inventory and characteristics of competing facilities in the Chicagoland area, and feedback from users and potential/waitlist users. Based on this research, he projected future operations for both scenarios, including assumptions regarding rates, detailed demand, revenues and expenses, and return on investment based on estimated capital costs.

The most viable expansion option, based on ROI, available funding, and physical plant demands, was the addition of a new studio sheet (100’ x 85’), which opened in 2018 and allows the CPD to accommodate significantly more demand.