10 Things You Need to Know When Opening Your Own Skating Rink

The Future Roller Skating Rink Owner's Startup Playbook

Opening a roller skating rink is a dream that mixes nostalgia with opportunity, but behind every polished floor and booming soundtrack lies a web of financial, regulatory, and operational hurdles. Whether you’re converting an old rink or breaking ground on something brand new, success depends on meticulous planning and rock-solid documentation.

This guide breaks down some of the top 10 most important things every future rink owner must know — from bank expectations and feasibility studies to flooring, insurance, and music licensing — with direct links to official resources and industry standards.

1. Build a Lender-Ready Plan (and Know Which Loan Fits)
Securing financing is your first major test as a rink entrepreneur. Banks and SBA-approved lenders will judge your project based on your ability to plan, project, and repay.

Start with a strong business plan that outlines your mission, market, projected income, and repayment strategy. If you’re using SBA programs, explore the SBA 7(a) Loan Program — it’s the most flexible option for working capital, build-out, and equipment. For larger property or construction projects, the SBA 504 Loan Program offers long-term, fixed-rate financing for real estate or major equipment purchases.

Most lenders look for a Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR) around 1.25x, meaning your projected cash flow should cover your annual debt payments by at least 25%. You can learn more about this key metric from sba7a.loans.

Be prepared to provide detailed financial statements, collateral documentation, personal guarantees, and a clear repayment schedule. The U.S. Small Business Administration outlines lender eligibility and borrower requirements in depth.

2. Do a Real Feasibility Study (Your Market Reality Check)
A feasibility study proves to lenders and investors that your business projections are grounded in data — not hope. It’s the foundation of your financial credibility.

A strong feasibility report should define your trade area (typically a 10–20-minute drive), analyze population demographics, income brackets, and youth density, and identify competing entertainment venues such as other rinks, bowling alleys, and trampoline parks.

Use free government tools like Census Business Builder and data.census.gov to gather localized demographic and economic data. You can find additional guidance on building market research from the SBA’s Competitive Analysis Guide.

Include maps, competitor profiles, survey results, and a realistic attendance forecast. The Census Bureau’s training resources also offer tutorials on analyzing demographic data for business planning.

3. Nail Down Site Selection, Zoning, and Parking
Even a perfect business plan can’t overcome a bad site. Roller rinks fall under assembly occupancy in building codes, so your location must meet zoning and safety requirements before you can open.

Confirm your property’s zoning classification (amusement, recreation, or assembly) and check if you need a special-use permit. Consult your city’s planning department early. You’ll also need to meet parking minimums, which often require one space per 100–120 square feet of rink area, plus extra for spectators.

Work closely with your architect and local building officials to ensure compliance with local ordinances. You can review common standards from the International Code Council (ICC) and your municipality’s zoning portal.

Don’t finalize a lease or land purchase until you’ve verified that your site can accommodate both your occupancy load and your parking requirements.

4. Meet Life-Safety and ADA Standards from the Start
Your rink will be classified as an assembly space, meaning strict rules govern exits, lighting, accessibility, and emergency systems.

Key elements include properly sized and illuminated exit pathways, panic-bar doors that swing in the direction of travel, and clearly posted occupant load signs. The NFPA 101 Life Safety Code and the International Building Code (IBC) outline these safety measures in detail.

Accessibility compliance is equally critical. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design require barrier-free access to entrances, restrooms, seating, and service counters.

Hire an architect or code consultant early to prepare a life-safety plan and ADA compliance checklist for your permit application — it will save you time, money, and red tape later.

5. Choose the Right Skating Floor (Your Core Asset)
Your rink’s floor isn’t just a surface — it’s your business identity. The feel, glide, and maintenance cost of your floor affect everything from customer satisfaction to injury rates.

The Maple Flooring Manufacturers Association (MFMA) (and skaters worldwide) recommends northern hard maple as the gold standard for roller skating. This surface provides unmatched durability and consistency, as explained in the MFMA’s article Today’s Preferred Sports Surface.

Other alternatives can lower initial costs, but may change your rink’s acoustics and rolling performance. The goal is to make sure that you're providing a surface that skaters enjoy, and that means investing in a good skating surface. Consult someone with a history of installing specifically roller skating floors (we have a full list of RSM members to speak with) who can specify proper subfloors, vapor barriers, and finishes, and set up a maintenance plan that includes annual recoating.

A quality maple floor can last decades with proper care — making it one of the smartest long-term investments in your build.

6. Get Music Licensing Right (All Four PROs Matter)
Music is the heartbeat of your rink — and one of the easiest areas to misstep legally. To play music publicly, you must license from all four U.S. Performance Rights Organizations (PROs):

• ASCAP
• BMI
• SESAC
• Global Music Rights (GMR)

Each PRO represents different artists, and no single license covers them all. Skipping one can lead to costly infringement claims — as detailed by the Roller Skating Association’s music licensing guide. The RSA collects annual fees for ASCAP, BMI, and GMR, while SESAC is paid directly.

7. Carry the Right Insurance Portfolio
Rinks are high-activity environments, so you’ll need coverage that anticipates both common and catastrophic risks. Specialty providers, specifically the RSA's preferred carrier, JBL Trinity World, understand the exposures unique to skating facilities.

At minimum, you’ll need:

• General Liability (including participant liability)
• Property (building, equipment, contents)
• Business Interruption
• Workers’ Compensation
• Equipment Breakdown
• Umbrella / Excess Liability
• Liquor Liability (if applicable)
• Cyber Insurance (for POS and customer data)

Insurers favor operators who maintain floor care logs, skate inspection records, and written safety procedures — so document everything. The RSA has a full My Skate Repair program that rink owners can use to track every single skate and piece of equipment, as well as store videos and incident reports. Having a proactive safety culture can also help lower your premiums.

8. Build a Realistic, Diversified Revenue Model
To survive beyond the honeymoon phase, your rink must earn income from multiple channels. Your feasibility study should flow naturally into your revenue model, breaking down how each program type contributes to total income.

Common revenue streams include public sessions, private events, birthday parties, lessons, fundraising nights, retail sales, and concessions. ICEE, Pepsi, Dippin' Dots, arcade games, STEM Roller Skating Program, Kids Skate Free and more all contribute to this. To estimate attendance and pricing, rely on structured market research as outlined in the SBA’s Market Research Guide.

Be conservative with your estimates and model seasonality (school breaks, holidays). Banks prefer grounded projections over optimistic ones — it demonstrates operational maturity and planning discipline.

9. Create a Permitting & Pre-Opening Roadmap
The permitting process can be tedious but predictable if you map it correctly.

Your typical sequence should generally include:
Pre-application meeting with your local planning department.

1. Submission of building, electrical, and life-safety plans.
2. Coordination with the fire marshal and health department (for concessions).
3. Music licenses (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, GMR) secured 30–60 days before opening.
4. Insurance bound for all operational activities.
5. Systems installation and testing (floor, sound, lighting).
6. Soft opening and staff training period.

Each step should be built into your project schedule and business plan appendix — lenders will appreciate the foresight.

10. Develop Operations Playbooks That Reduce Risk
A well-documented operation is not only safer — it’s more bankable. Lenders and insurers want to see that you can run a controlled, consistent operation.

Create written SOPs covering:

• ​Floor maintenance
• Skate fleet inspection and replacement cycles
• Session staffing ratios and crowd control
• Incident and accident reporting
• Emergency egress procedures
• Opening/closing checklists and safety audits

Include these documents in your business plan appendix and employee training. A well-organized operator signals reliability — and that makes you a better bet for financing and partnerships.

Final Thoughts
Building a roller skating rink is equal parts passion and precision. You’re not just opening a nostalgic pastime, you’re creating a regulated, capital-intensive entertainment business.

If you invest the time to research your market, comply with every regulation, and design systems that impress bankers and insurers, you’ll set the wheels in motion for decades of community fun and financial success.