Saturday, March 11, Michael Rowland, and his family who operated the Rock & Roll Entertainment Center – the only roller-skating rink in Aransas Pass – closed its doors, possibly forever. Rowland told The Progress that he was unable to come to a compromise agreement with the Austin-based owners of the building to renew their lease at a lower price, citing the venue’s limited hours and minimal profits that made it unsustainable to remain there if they were forced to pay $6,000 a month for the privilege. In fact, Rowland admitted that it continuously cost more to run than he earned from the business and he had been supplementing expenses from his own personal savings to prevent it from closing earlier. Reaction has been swift, especially on social media, the news catching many patrons off guard. While Rowland added it’s possible they may reopen somewhere else, he has been unable to find another space with the same square footage to make it practical. Mayor Ram Gomez, Rowland noted, was expected to try to intervene on his behalf and reach out to the current owners to determine if they would consider a lower rent option. “I was doing it for the kids,” Rowland said of having opened the skating center when there were no other positive outlets for similar, wholesome entertainment for youth in Aransas Pass, Ingleside, or Ingleside on the Bay this side of the Harbor Bridge.
Courtesy: Michael Rowland