Frequently Asked Questions

Questions About the Plan

  • After decades of heavy use, many of Plymouth’s most popular recreational facilities – like the Plymouth Ice Center, athletic fields and the Fieldhouse dome – are wearing down. Even with regular maintenance, the city’s equipment and public spaces eventually need major repairs and updates to stay safe, reliable, cost-effective and in good working condition for residents.

    At the same time, more residents are taking part in sports and recreation than ever before, stretching ice time, field space and gyms across the city.

    Residents have expressed a desire for flexible, accessible and comfortable facilities that work year-round and can accommodate growing demand. Older, seasonal facilities, like the Fieldhouse, no longer meet those needs. Investing now allows the city to keep pace with growing demand, expand recreation options and strengthen community life for years to come.

  • The city’s plan focuses on strengthening Plymouth City Center’s role as a cornerstone of community life while expanding sports and recreation opportunities across the city. Based on resident feedback, the proposed plan includes three major initiatives totaling $135 million:

    • A $55 million expansion and renovation of the Plymouth Ice Center

    • A $55 million new year‑round Fieldhouse to replace the seasonal dome at the Plymouth Community Center

    • A $25 million new regional sports complex at the former Four Seasons Mall site.

    Together, these investments would create a stronger, more connected recreation system in Plymouth, with expanded capacity to continue serving residents for years to come.

    To pay for these investments, the city is seeking a mix of local and state funding – including a half-cent local sales tax. If authorized by the Legislature, the city will present the proposed half-cent sales tax to Plymouth voters in November 2026.  

  • The city is pursuing an expansion and renovation of the Plymouth Ice Center. Originally built in 1997, the Ice Center is a regional facility that draws visitors from across the state and directly supports the local economy. Upgrades include adding a fourth sheet of ice, modern team rooms, viewing areas and improved amenities for players and spectators.

    To accommodate growing summer use, HVAC systems will be updated for year-round comfort. Additional improvements include expanded storage and resurfacing areas, updated concessions and reimagined seating to create a more welcoming environment for all.

    As part of this investment, the city would realign 37th Avenue North to improve access and connectivity between parking areas, City Hall and surrounding public amenities across Plymouth City Center.

  • The city plans to build a new year-round fieldhouse to replace the aging seasonal dome at the Plymouth Community Center, ensuring reliable access for practices, programs and community use every month of the year.

    The new fieldhouse will feature flexible indoor turf, a separate walking track for improved safety, dedicated space for gymnastics, gym areas designed to meet growing community and athletic association needs, and an ADA-accessible entrance from the parking lot that will allow for extended hours beyond the main Community Center’s schedule.

    This year-round facility would also bolster non-sport activities, such as open play for kids, birthday parties and a range of other community events. In addition, constructing the new fieldhouse would allow for a third gymnasium to be built at Plymouth Community Center, further expanding recreation options for residents.

  • Plymouth is proposing a new regional sports complex at the former Four Seasons Mall site, featuring a synthetic turf championship soccer field, a multi-sport field that supports lacrosse, youth football and other activities and a covered outdoor ice rink. Using synthetic turf will extend the outdoor playing season, adding about one month of reliable play in both the fall and spring, when natural grass fields are often unplayable.

    The proposed approach for the new sports complex blends organized athletics, park & ride functionality and community recreation to address Plymouth’s current shortage of field space and meet increasing demand for field availability.

  • These projects will expand and improve recreation options by investing in modern, safe and welcoming spaces where residents can gather, play and connect. Upgrades at the Plymouth Ice Center and a new year-round Fieldhouse will help meet growing demand for ice, indoor turf, gym space and youth programs.

    Developing the new regional sports complex will transform the long‑vacant property at the former Four Seasons Mall site into a valuable community asset that enhances the city’s ability to host practices, games, leagues and community events.

    These investments would help make Plymouth a key destination for sports, recreation, and community life. The project will draw more events to the city, support local businesses and give residents more spaces to come together – whether it’s for a game, a practice or simply spending time with neighbors.

  • The investment plan prioritizes safe, accessible and inclusive spaces across all three proposed projects. Designs focus on flexible, comfortable facilities that serve a wide range of ages, abilities, and activities.

    • At the Plymouth Ice Center, planned upgrades would improve ADA accessibility, fire safety, lighting and other aging systems to keep the facility safe, efficient and welcoming for everyone.

    • The new Fieldhouse will feature flexible indoor turf, a separated walking track that avoids sports overlap and provides safer spaces for users, dedicated gymnastics space, a new accessible entrance and extended hours for broader community use.

    • For the regional sports complex, high‑quality synthetic turf fields would provide safe, durable playing surfaces and expand access to outdoor recreation across the city, helping address Plymouth’s shortage of usable field space.

  • More residents are getting involved in sports and recreation than ever before. From hockey to soccer, the surge in participation is stretching ice time, field space and gyms across the city. At the same time, facilities like the Plymouth Ice Center and Fieldhouse are showing their age — systems are nearing the end of their useful life, maintenance costs are rising, and some spaces no longer meet safety, accessibility or capacity needs.

    Waiting to make these investments could lead to higher costs down the road while limiting opportunities for residents, local teams and community programs. Investing now allows us to keep up with demand, provide the modern, flexible amenities residents have asked for, and strengthen Plymouth’s position as a destination for recreation and community life.

Questions About Our Challenges and Opportunities

  • Originally built in 1997, the Plymouth Ice Center is now one of Minnesota’s busiest ice facilities, serving nearly 600,000 users each year and operating at full capacity. Overwhelming demand has forced local hockey associations to rent ice time from other facilities, sending revenue outside of our community.

    After decades of heavy use, key systems at the nearly 30-year-old facility are reaching the end of their useful life. The roof leaks, outdated HVAC and refrigeration equipment create inefficiencies that drive up costs, and improvements are needed for ADA accessibility, fire safety and lighting to continue serving residents safely and effectively.

  • The Fieldhouse dome and turf face ongoing maintenance challenges and no longer meet our community’s recreational needs. The turf has worn out faster than expected, with inspections showing worsening conditions that affect safety and drainage. The dome itself is vulnerable to storm damage and needs frequent monitoring, emergency repairs and snow removal to prevent collapse. Keeping the space comfortable is difficult, and seasonal setup, takedown and upkeep cost the city more than $60,000 every year.

    Beyond operational problems, the Fieldhouse’s limited size and layout can’t accommodate regulation soccer games or large team activities, forcing local clubs to find space elsewhere. Spectator areas are often overcrowded during events, and the dome’s seasonal availability means community programs struggle to secure indoor space during peak months as participation continues to grow.

  • Plymouth has seen a surge in sports and recreation participation, stretching ice time, gyms and field space. As a result, it’s increasingly difficult for youth sports and community programs to find the space they need locally.

    • Overwhelming demand at the Plymouth Ice Center – one of Minnesota’s busiest ice facilities – has forced some local programs to rent ice time outside the community.

    • The seasonal Fieldhouse dome is limited in size and cannot accommodate regulation soccer games or year‑round recreational demand, making it hard for programs to secure consistent indoor space during peak months.

    • When lease agreements with the Wayzata School District ended in 2020, the city lost access to 18 playfields — about one-third of its total field capacity — directly impacting about 170 local teams and increasing competition for remaining facilities already operating at capacity.

    Resident feedback underscores these challenges. In the city’s 2025 community survey, residents highlighted improving recreation amenities, creating more family‑friendly spaces and increasing capacity for youth sports as priorities for future investment.

  • The city already conducts regular facility assessments to proactively identify needs, including a detailed review of conditions at the Ice Center in March 2023 and annual inspections of the Fieldhouse dome and turf. Replacing aging systems and modernizing these facilities will reduce emergency repairs, improve efficiency and keep amenities safe and reliable. Ongoing maintenance planning, lifecycle costing and phased improvements help ensure the city manages tax dollars responsibly while maintaining high‑quality public spaces.

Questions About the Process

  • Every step of planning has been guided by community feedback and a shared desire to create spaces that serve residents today and in the future. The city began by connecting with residents to better understand needs, priorities and aspirations for future recreation and community investments.

    • Public meetings, stakeholder sessions, various resident surveys, community events, an interactive feedback map and social media outreach have helped ensure a broad cross-section of voices are heard.

    • This feedback revealed that updating popular facilities – like the Plymouth Fieldhouse and Ice Center – and developing a new playfield at the former Four Seasons Mall site were among residents’ top priorities for recreational improvements.

    The city also conducted thorough facility assessments of the Plymouth Ice Center and Fieldhouse to ensure these public amenities can continue serving residents safely and effectively. As planning advances, Plymouth will keep residents involved – offering updates and opportunities for input before decisions are finalized.

  • The city is committed to ongoing transparency and community involvement. As planning advances, Plymouth will provide regular updates and offer opportunities for residents to give input on things like design features, amenities and project priorities. The city will also share progress updates through its website, newsletters and social media, ensuring everyone stays informed and has a chance to make their voice heard.

    Further, if authorized by the Legislature, the city will present the proposed half-cent sales tax to Plymouth voters in November 2026, ensuring residents have the final say on whether the proposed plan moves forward.

  • Through thoughtful planning, the city is committed to minimizing disruptions to athletics and programming at our facilities. While every effort will be made to reduce impacts, there may be limited access to certain amenities, such as specific rinks at the Ice Center or areas of the Fieldhouse, during construction. The city will communicate any changes well in advance and work closely with local sports associations and community groups to find alternative arrangements whenever possible.

Questions About the Cost

  • The proposed investment plan would cost a total of $135 million to fund three major initiatives – a $55 million expansion and renovation of the Plymouth Ice Center, the construction of a $55 million new year-round Fieldhouse to replace the seasonal dome at the Plymouth Community Center, and a $25 million new regional sports complex at the former Four Seasons Mall site.

  • The City of Plymouth is dedicated to pursuing long-term, fiscally responsible investments that enhance quality of life and expand recreational opportunities for residents. Because Plymouth is Minnesota’s fourth largest economy, the city is pursuing a mix of local and state funding to reduce the cost for local taxpayers, leveraging outside funding wherever possible and bringing Plymouth tax dollars back into the community.

    That’s why the city is seeking state bonding funds and the approval of a half-cent local sales tax during the 2026 legislative session to pay for these community investments. If authorized by the Legislature, the city would present the proposed half-cent local sales tax to Plymouth voters in November 2026.

  • A local sales tax would spread the cost of the projects among residents and visitors who come to Plymouth for tournaments, shopping, dining and other activities.

    According to University of Minnesota research, nonresidents would pay approximately 55% of the local sales tax. This means approximately $74.3 million of the $135 million needed for design and construction would be paid by visitors who purchase goods and services in the city.

    In contrast, a property tax increase would place the full cost on Plymouth property owners.

  • Yes. Going back to the early 1980s, more than fifty Minnesota cities and counties have used voter-approved local sales taxes to fund community projects, including several nearby cities.

    For example, Maple Grove uses a 0.5% sales tax to help pay for an expansion of its community center. Edina uses a 0.5% local sales tax to support parks and recreation upgrades. Bloomington uses a 0.5% sales tax to fund trail upgrades, renovations to its ice garden, and the construction of a new community center. Golden Valley uses a 1.25% local sales tax to finance new public works and public safety buildings. 

  • The proposed half-cent sales tax would be applied to most purchases in Plymouth in the same way as the state sales tax. Essential items — like groceries, clothing, medications, feminine hygiene products and baby products — are exempt. This helps limit the impact on families and people living on fixed incomes.

  • No. The tax would expire after 20 years or when enough funds have been collected to cover the approved projects’ costs, whichever comes first. If voters approve fewer projects, the tax would expire sooner, once the necessary funds are raised.