Atlanta Roller Derby + Golden Glide

Yes and no, and the distinction matters. Atlanta Roller Derby wholly owns and controls the for-profit subsidiary that operates the Golden Glide public roller rink business, so ARD has complete authority over its budget, revenues, etc. What ARD does not yet own is the Golden Glide building itself. Today, that property is leased to ARD's subsidiary, with an option to purchase once financing is secured. Once that purchase happens, the deed will be held by a separate holding company that ARD controls, not by ARD directly, which is standard practice for financed commercial real estate. In short, ARD owns and controls the business running Golden Glide today, and is working toward owning the property itself. We have carefully structured this way to protect assets and ensure that the ARD nonprofit entity interacts with the for-profit entity in the correct and legal way.

Owning the building itself has been part of the plan since ARD decided to pursue this endeavor. Once the purchase happens, it will be held by a holding company under ARD's control rather than by an outside owner, which is what keeps the rink under mission-driven oversight and not exposed to a future sale to a developer.

Running a commercial skating rink open to the public involves different financial and legal considerations than running a nonprofit sports league. Atlanta Roller Derby formed a wholly owned for-profit subsidiary to operate Golden Glide so the business could build its own financial track record for the commercial financing that will complete the purchase. This structure keeps the day-to-day operations and liability of a public-facing venue separate from the League's charitable programs. This is a common structure among nonprofits that run a revenue generating operation alongside their mission work.

Atlanta Roller Derby does, entirely. ARD holds all voting control and has the final say over every major decision the subsidiary makes, including its budget, any debt it takes on, and any sale or dissolution. No outside investor, board member, or private individual owns any part of it today.

No. The for-profit subsidiary exists to support Atlanta Roller Derby's mission, not to generate private profit. Money the rink makes, after covering its own operating costs (including payroll, bills, maintenance, improvements, etc), flows back to support the League and our junior derby program. If the subsidiary were ever wound down, anything left over is legally required to go toward charitable purposes, not to any individual. Money for the rink, its employees, and its maintenance and improvement are the first priority under this structure. We want Golden Glide to be a premier roller rink destination!

Your donation goes to Atlanta Roller Derby, a 501(c)(3) organization, and is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Completing the purchase of the Golden Glide building is core to ARD's mission, since it secures a permanent home for our league and our junior derby program and keeps this community rink open to the public, so donated funds may be allocated toward that purchase the same way they would fund any other part of our mission. Your gift is never an investment in a separate business, and you never receive equity, profit, or a financial return of any kind.

Our current capital campaign is a charitable fundraising effort, not an investment opportunity. Your gift is a donation to Atlanta Roller Derby, a 501(c)(3) organization, and does not provide equity, ownership, or a financial return in the subsidiary or Golden Glide.

Yes. Both ARD's Board of Directors and its voting membership formally approved the transaction, and ARD's attorney submitted a formal notice of the entire structure and plan - including ARD’s bylaws and the for-profit’s Operating Agreement - to the Office of the Attorney General of Georgia, which oversees transactions like this involving charitable organizations, before the deal closed. That notice was reviewed and approved by the attorney general.

The for-profit subsidiary operates under its own lease, insurance requirements, and financial obligations, structured so that a downturn in the rink's day to day business does not automatically put Atlanta Roller Derby's other charitable programs and assets at risk. ARD's Board reviews the business' financial health regularly as part of its oversight role.

Lenders financing a purchase like this generally want to see an operating business with its own financial history, which is part of why the for-profit subsidiary exists. Once financing is secured, the deed will be held by a separate holding company that Atlanta Roller Derby will control, a standard practice for financed commercial real estate that keeps the property financing separate from day to day operations.

Nothing changes. Golden Glide will continue to operate public skate sessions, host birthday parties and community events, and serve as a rental venue for other skating organizations, just as it always has. Atlanta Roller Derby will be structuring its practices outside of the public session hours and will offer a supplemental Adult Skate session on its public game days after the games are done.

Yes. Atlanta Roller Derby is a 501(c)(3) organization, and gifts are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

There are some other offers for fundraising such as Lifetime VIP tickets that are not considered tax deductable, similar to ticket purchases to our games.

Atlanta Roller Derby controls whether the subsidiary is ever sold, transferred, or dissolved. Its governing agreement requires that any assets remaining after a dissolution go toward charitable purposes consistent with ARD's mission. They cannot be distributed to private individuals. This means the rink is protected from future developers because it sits under ARD’s umbrella.