By MADDY VITALE
By the end of 2020, Ocean City’s Sports & Civic Center at Sixth Street and the Boardwalk will be renovated. A new exterior, an addition and amenities are planned to create a more attractive space for athletic and other events, city officials said.
On April 23, City Council approved a $3.2 million contract, the lowest out of six competing bids, to Capri Construction Co. Inc. based in Vineland.
According to the resolution, other work includes the demolition and reconstruction of existing bathrooms, office areas, windows, a new vestibule area, storage, and concessions space.
Back in December, City Council rejected the first round of bids for the renovation project. The bids then ranged from $4 million to $4.6 million and were far higher than the city’s prebid estimate.
Now that the construction contract has been awarded, Ocean City Public Information Officer Doug Bergen detailed the proposed project in an email.
He said that at first, in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the city considered delaying the project.
“But the facility is already closed due to COVID-19 restrictions,” Bergen noted. “Bids came in at a price we wouldn’t likely see again. Interest rates are at a historic low, and it’s an opportunity to keep people at work.”
The Sports & Civic Center is located next the Carey Field high school track and stadium complex, close to the Boardwalk.
Mayor Jay Gillian has said that the building has not had any upgrades in years.
Officials agreed it was time to freshen up the building. The Civic Center has played an important role in the city’s sports scene and as the venue for many special events throughout the years.
It has been used year after year as the staging area for nonprofit fundraisers, including the John R. Elliott HERO Campaign Walk/Run, Ocean City’s MS Walk and a host of other events.
One of the biggest events at the Civic Center is Ocean City’s family-friendly First Night celebration on New Year’s Eve. There are activities for children and their families inside the building, which is transformed with bounce houses, basketball hoops and an array of games.
Outside the Civic Center features the popular ice-skating rink on First Night. The rink is installed specifically for the annual event.
The goal of the renovation project, officials have said, is to create a more functional space in what is now a dated building.
“The Civic Center renovation is expected to be complete by the end of the year, and the facility will be closed for at least some portion of the project,” Bergen said.
He continued, “The work will add locker rooms, storage areas and a concession stand for athletic and other events at both the Civic Center and adjacent turf field at Carey Stadium.”
Bergen said the amenities were “added to a regularly scheduled maintenance project on the building.”
To complete the updated look to the building, an overhang or vestibule will be added to the entryway so people could escape inclement weather.
The sports complex is already rented by some college athletic programs for their workouts. Villanova University’s football team practices at the stadium each year.
The mayor has said that he hopes the renovation project leads to college teams utilizing the building and Carey Stadium even more, which would produce additional rental revenue for the city.
