TITLE
AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH WESTREC SMI OPCO, LLC FOR MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF OUTDOOR ICE RINKS
SPECIFICATION NO. P-25021
BODY
To the Honorable Board of Commissioners of the Chicago Park District
I. Recommendation
Pursuant to Chapter XI, Section C.3 of the Code of the Chicago Park District, the Director of Revenue and the Director of Purchasing recommend, notwithstanding the lack of complete Economic Disclosure Statements, that the Board of Commissioners of the Chicago Park District (the “Board”) authorize the General Superintendent and CEO or his designee to enter into a contract with WESTREC SMI OPCO, LLC (“Awardee”) for the purpose of managing and operating outdoor ice rinks (“rinks”) throughout the Chicago Park District (“Park District”).
II. Award Information
Contractor: WESTREC SMI OPCO, LLC
Company Type: LLC
State of Incorporation: Delaware
Majority Interests: RCP SMI HoldCo, LLC 15.89%
CP Fresh Dock-B LLC 10.19%
Suntex REIT LLC 48.19%
Contract Term: Seven (7) year initial term with one (1) four-year extension option.
Contract Amount: Not to exceed $1,050,000 for the initial seven (7) year term. Expenditures remain subject to annual appropriations and each year’s budget. If extension option is exercised, funding shall be based upon available annual appropriations. Breakdown of the Annual Management Fee Schedule below for reference:
$135,000 Year 1
$140,000 Year 2
$145,000 Year 3
$150,000 Year 4
$155,000 Year 5
$160,000 Year 6
$165,000 Year 7
$170,000 Year 8 (extension)
$175,000 Year 9 (extension)
$180,000 Year 10 (extension)
$185,000 Year 11 (extension)
Compliance Goals: The Minority and Woman Owned Business Enterprise (MBE/WBE) participation for this contract includes:
34% MBE participation
6% WBE participation
Scope of Services: Management and operation of five (5) outdoor rinks located at McKinley Park, Midway Plaisance Park, Mt. Greenwood Park, Warren Park, and Wentworth Park.
Authorization: Authorize the General Counsel to include other relevant terms and conditions in the written contract. Authorize the General Superintendent or his designee to execute the contract and the Secretary to attest as to the signing of the contract and keep an original copy of the contract on file.
III. Budget and Financial Information
Budget Classification: Operating
Fiscal Year: 2026-2033 (Initial Term)
Source of Funds: 001.9310.9310.626015.00001.01.01.00001
IV. Procurement Information
Specification Number: P-25021
Date RFP Advertised: January 2, 2026
Date of Pre-Submittal Meeting: N/A
Proposals Due Date: January 20, 2026
Number of Proposals Received: Two (2)
This Agreement was publicly advertised as a Request for Proposals (“RFP”) on January 2, 2026. A total of two (2) proposals were received by the due date, and the proposals were found by the Department of Purchasing (“Purchasing”) to be responsive.
The Evaluation Committee (“EC”) was comprised of seven (7) total members, five (5) Park District staff voting members and two (2) Park District staff non-voting member. The EC began their evaluation of the proposal at their first meeting on February 5, 2026, where the non-financial portion of the proposal was discussed and the financial proposal was distributed. It was decided at the conclusion of this meeting to invite the respondents to provide an oral presentations. The oral presentations were held on February 11, 2026, and the sessions lasted approximately one (1) hour each.
The EC met once again following the oral presentation, and at the end of their meeting they decided to send a request for a Best and Final Offer to the respondent. The EC met once again following the oral presentation, and at the end of their meeting they decided to send a request for a Best and Final Offer to the respondent. Purchasing received the Best and Final Offer on February 18, 2026, and the EC concluded their evaluation by submitting scores to Purchasing in favor of selecting Westrec SMI OpCo, LLC.
V. Explanation
The Park District requires the services of a firm to manage and operate five (5) outdoor ice rinks located throughout the city. The management and operation responsibilities include: daily management during operating season, resurfacing the ice, maintaining the refrigeration and all other equipment, developing and managing rink schedules including rentals, marketing the rinks for skating lessons and hockey, maintaining and renting skates, and custodial services.
Awardee managed the Park District’s outdoor rinks from 2008-2013 and 2017-2025. Locally, they managed the ice-skating ribbon at Maggie Daley Park and the City of Chicago’s Millennium Park Ice Rink in the past. Awardee has the capacity, knowledge and equipment to implement operational plans and perform many repairs in real time. Additionally, they have a team of year-round, committed employees and will be keeping summer boating season employees on staff to work at the rinks during the winter. Awardee has a solid implementation plan and is ready to start immediately to ensure the rinks open on time for the season.
Awardee has the demonstrated experience and capability to manage and operate the rinks, and therefore, it is in the best interest of the Chicago Park District to award Awardee the contract for Management and Operation of Outdoor Ice Rinks.
The Awardee has submitted an Economic Disclosure Statement (EDS). Awardee’s EDS discloses that it is 100% owned by SMI TRS OPCO, LLC, which in turn is 100% owned by Suntex Up-Co, LLC. Suntex Up-Co. LLC is 100% owned by Suntex Marina Investors LLC. The Park District is in receipt of completed EDSs for these four entities. Suntex Marina Investors LLC discloses it is 15.89% owned by RCP SMI HoldCo, LLC, 10.19% owned by CP Fresh Dock-B LLC and 48.19% owned by Suntex REIT LLC. Despite the EDS form's instructions, RCP SMI HoldCo, LLC, CP Fresh Dock-B LLC and Suntex REIT LLC have not provided Economic Disclosure Statements.
VI. General Conditions
1. Conflicts: No agreement authorized herein shall be legally binding on the Park District if entered into in violation of the provisions of 50 ILCS 105, the Public Officer Prohibited Activities Act.
2. Ethics: The contract shall contain a provision requiring compliance with Chapter III of the Code of the Chicago Park District (“Governmental Ethics”).
3. Contingent Liability: Any agreement lawfully entered into for a period of more than one year shall be executory only for the amounts for which the Park District may become liable in succeeding fiscal years pursuant to 70 ILCS 1505/17(i).
4. Economic Disclosure Statement: The Awardee for management and operation of ice skating rinks has not submitted full and complete EDSs prior to submission to the Board.