Portlanders will have more time to lace up their skates and hit the ice under Morrison Bridge this winter. In a move to keep locals and visitors alike sliding into downtown, the city's outdoor ice rink has had its stay extended through Feb. 11, thanks to a positive reception and ambitious city business goals. Initially set to close up shop on Jan. 28, the rink at 499 S.W. Naito Parkway is now slated to keep the holiday spirit gliding for a couple of weeks more.
The decision to prolong the chilly festivities, as Here is Oregon reported, coincides with both the Portland Winter Light Festival running Feb. 2 to Feb. 10, and a recent winter storm that forced the rink to temporarily close doors since Saturday. The rink, an effort to boost downtown foot traffic and spend during the festive season, saw an impressive tally of around 12,000 tickets sold from its mid-December opening until the year's end, amassing more than $228,800 in revenue, as detailed by Prosper Portland, the city's economic development agency.
Commissioner Carmen Rubio underscored the value of the initiative, noting that "January and February are often the hardest time for small businesses, and the current weather emergency has added new challenges for them," in a statement obtained by Here is Oregon. Moreover, a spurt in downtown bustle during December was reported by the Portland Metro Chamber, presenting a 9.5% increase over the previous year during the same period, based on anonymized cell phone data.
A spokesperson for Commissioner Rubio, Jimmy Radosta, mentioned that the area experienced a noticeable uptick in weekend foot traffic that corresponded with the rink's opening days. Although Prosper Portland's Amanda Park expressed challenges in confirming if the ice rink was solely responsible for the influx, she stated, "One of our goals with the ice rink was to bring folks back downtown and to spotlight the great things that are happening in the city," according to a report by The Oregonian/OregonLive. "I think in a lot of ways the ice rink has done that and far exceeded what we expected could happen."
For those ready to carve up the rink, hours run from 3 to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, and expand to a 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. window during the weekends. Admission includes skate rental and is fixed at $20 for adults or $12 for kids under 12. An extra perk—discounted tickets are on offer for those supporting local businesses, with 85 visitors already snagging the deal by flashing a receipt from a downtown or central city shop.
