The people who skate and play hockey at the Wexford Civic Center are now managing it.
Known as the Wex, the county-owned facility was in danger of closing before a citizens' group offered to run it.
Wexford County commissioners voted Wednesday to let volunteers oversee, market and raise funds for the ice rink and auditorium.
Mike Figliomeni, spokesman for the group known as Boon Sports Management, thinks people will notice a positive change.
"We believe they'll see a huge difference, just in the appearance of the place," Figliomeni says. "We just think it will look nicer. It will look cleaner. It will look brighter and we just think it will look like people care about the facility."
The county dropped the private, Detroit-area firm that had managed the building. And it will reduce its $100,000 annual contribution to $50,000 within a year.
The dozens of volunteers who will now help run the Wex hope to make up the difference with donations and increased use.
The first task will be to hire a manager by the end of the month.
"The volunteer work comes in support of that manager," Figliomeni says.
There's talk of seeking a millage for operations, but voters rejected a millage renewal for the Wex just a couple years ago.
Having private volunteers run a county building or function is rare, though County Administrator Ken Hinton says it can be done successfully.
The commissioners voted 6-3 to accept the contract with Boon, and Hinton says some commissioners wanted more time to review the recently-amended contract.
The intent is to have Boon operate it for four years. The contract includes escape clauses for both sides, but does not allow them to take effect during a hockey season.
If the group is not able to raise revenues by increasing users and events and cut labor costs, hundreds of hockey players will have to go to Traverse City or Big Rapids for an indoor rink.
"This was pretty much a last resort," says Commissioner Leslie Housler. "We're hoping this works out because nothing else has been working out so far."