Skate-O-Mania Secures One Year of Insurance Through November 2027

Albuquerque’s Skate-O-Mania will remain open for another year after securing new insurance coverage through November 2027. The roller rink announced the development on social media on Tuesday, reversing a potential shutdown that had been looming since late October.

Owner Courtney Ballew previously warned in an email to patrons that soaring insurance costs and a rise in legal claims could force the business to close by the end of November. Those costs were driven by what Ballew described as surging liability risks. The new agreement provides one year of protection, giving the business a window to seek a more permanent fix.

Ballew attributed the successful renewal to a widespread community response. After the initial warning was issued, he received emails from between 30 and 40 local insurance brokers. Community members and state lawmakers also contacted him with offers of assistance.

“My phones were ringing off the hook with people trying to help,” Ballew said. “It was a huge relief. Finally able to sleep so much better knowing that we’re able to keep open.”

Ballew connected with several nationwide underwriters who specialize in covering roller rinks. Most declined the offer before one Wisconsin-based insurer agreed to take on the policy. Ballew signed the paperwork on Friday, finalizing the coverage that extends the rink's operational runway.

The immediate survival of the business does not resolve the underlying legal challenges that prompted the insurance crisis. Ballew stated that New Mexico lacks the tort reform present in many other states, which protects businesses from meritless claims. He argued that personal injury lawyers often prolong claims against the rink until insurers settle, even when the business has disproved the liability.

To mitigate these risks, Skate-O-Mania has installed additional cameras and implemented waiver protections over the years. Ballew said these measures have not been sufficient to contain the rising costs. “Everybody wants to get that check, and so it’s just kind of the nature of the society in which we live in now, and I think local laws haven’t caught up to that realization yet,” Ballew said.

Ballew is now pursuing legislative changes to address these gaps. He has shared information on tort reform with Democrat Sens. Michael Padilla and Natalie Figueroa of Albuquerque. The senators indicated in their initial messages that they would look into the issue, though Ballew has not yet received a follow-up. He considers a general tort reform bill a long shot but believes a specific statute for roller rinks is more feasible.

“I know there is a statute for ski areas, and there’s a statute for horseback riding places,” Ballew said. “There’s probably at least a dozen states that have a roller skating statute, and I gave (the senators) examples of that, so hopefully we can get something like that passed.”

With the immediate threat of closure removed, Ballew plans to meet with other roller rink owners in the state to build a collective case for legislative protection. He is also considering driving the rink’s giant roller skate car to the 2026 legislative session in Santa Fe. Skate-O-Mania has operated in Albuquerque since 1980 and will mark its 50th anniversary in a few years.