CEDAR CITY — Fiddlers Fun Center is scheduled to reopen Friday at noon with new entertainment options and concessions, although future expansion plans that could possibly include either an ice rink or go-karts remain in question.
Owner Kyle Pulsipher told Cedar City News they are excited to reopen and will be offering a free drive-in movie Friday evening.
“We are trying to open our fun center back up by Friday, and we’re excited about it,” Pulsipher said. “We’re actually going to do a drive-in movie, free of charge, just for anyone who wants to hang out and keep their distance.”
The movie is scheduled for approximately 8:30 p.m., or at dusk; however, the movie they have chosen has not been announced.
Pulsipher said other new amenities are going to be added to the locally owned and operated center as well.
“We’re going to extend our concession area a little bit to offer frosted lemonades,” he said. “We’re going to add some different food items that we haven’t had before, so we’re trying to get geared up for that as well.”
Pulsipher said he hopes to include other outdoor activities this summer.
“We’re going to move some of our entertainment items outside,” he said. “We’re hoping to have a mini carnival, jump houses and whatnot throughout the summer.”
However, another question remains unanswered, one that stems from a Facebook post from Fiddlers Fun Center on April 15 asking for public input regarding the potential addition of an ice rink or go-karts to the facility.
As of Friday, the post had garned 176 comments. However, Pulsipher declined to comment himself regarding the post, which implies a discussion occurred between Fiddlers Fun Center and the Glacier Ice Rink, which was previously located at the Cedar City Aquatic Center.
“I can’t tell you any information about the ice rink and what’s going on between us and them right now,” Pulsipher said.
Although he could not officially comment, Pulsipher’s wife, Sadie, responded to several comments on the Facebook post.
When one community member expressed disappointment that the Glacier Ice Rink was closed and said she was thankful Fiddlers is considering other forms of entertainment, Sadie Pulsipher responded by saying she was also sad about the ice rink closure.
“It’s why we reached out to them,” Sadie Pulsipher responded. “It could be so cool.”
When asked by another commenter if both an ice rink and go-karts were an option, she responded that “it’s about a five million dollar job.”
Dallin Staheli, from Staheli Recreation Management and owner of Glacier Ice Rink, told Cedar City News the discussion mentioned in the Facebook post was indeed with him but has not resulted in further action at this point.
“It was just one conversation,” Staheli said. “I don’t know if another one will happen in the future.”
Staheli added that an ice rink is difficult to get started.
“It’s one of those things that’s just really hard to do privately because it’s just so expensive,” he said. “A lot of people see all the people that use it and think, ‘That’s a great business opportunity’ – which it is – but it’s very expensive and difficult to get the facility built in the first place.”
The Glacier’s final day of operation at the Aquatic Center was Feb. 29. This came after several months of discussion between Staheli Recreation Management and Cedar City. On March 4, Staheli Recreation Management approached the City Council to explain that the proposed partnership to build a new location for the Glacier Ice Rink would not be feasible.
Pulsipher said Fiddlers Fun Center is resuming their normal hours, from noon to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; noon to 11 p.m. on Friday; and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday. Drive-in movies will also continue indefinitely as an added entertainment feature, he said.
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