This is one of the most common questions that we regularly
receive from fans. The truth is that the ice is down nearly year-round. The
last time you visited us for a non-hockey event, it is likely that the entire
show was taking place on top of the ice.
While the answer is simple, the work behind it is not as
simple so we seldom remove the ice in its entirety. The
process of maintaining and removing/replacing the ice takes hours of skilled
labor and attention to detail to make sure it is carried out smoothly. In fact, the only times we always remove the ice are
when Monster Jam and Ringling Bros. come to town. (Monster Jam’s massive
trucks require the traction that the friction with the cement floor provides,
and the circus has to rig props into the floor to ensure safety for their
performers.) Aside from these two shows and an occasional summer floor
cleaning, the ice is covered with a couple layers of temporary flooring that
fits together like giant puzzle pieces.
The ice is normally maintained at 17 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit and is approximately one inch thick. In the past, a deionizer tank system was used in the creation of the ice, but we have switched over to a custom reverse osmosis water filtration system, which is cheaper and more environmentally friendly.
The ice is normally maintained at 17 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit and is approximately one inch thick. In the past, a deionizer tank system was used in the creation of the ice, but we have switched over to a custom reverse osmosis water filtration system, which is cheaper and more environmentally friendly.
The process of removing the ice starts with our Zamboni’s. We
use these ice resurfacers to help expose the logos underneath. These mesh
logos, usually there are about 20 of them, are carefully pulled out of the ice
to be cleaned and stored. The ice is then heated to loosen it up. Once the ice
has softened, we use multiple vehicles, two Zamboni’s with a special “V” plow
attached, a plow truck, a tractor, and two hi-los, to remove the ice. Once the
majority of the ice is removed, a squeegee is attached to the tractor in order
to further push the water down drains. Once complete, the floor is cleaned, the
side boards removed, and setup for the incoming show begins.
This does not mean the job is done, however. Once the show
is over, the ice needs to be rebuilt. To begin, the floor is cleaned with a
special solvent. In the case of Monster Jam, we rent a “monster” sized floor
scrubber to remove the tire tracks left embedded in the concrete. While
cleaning the floor, we slowly cool the concrete by running coolant through 12
miles of piping that lay underneath. If the floor cools too quickly, the
concrete ice pad that our ice sheet rests on will crack. The temperature of the
floor eventually reaches a chilly 14 degrees Fahrenheit, and the operations
team lightly floods the floor to even it out and fill any imperfections.
To achieve a glowing, white-colored ice, we utilize a
60-gallon tank attached with a 200-foot hose to cover the floor with a white paint
powder and cold water mixture. This step is repeated three times.
Now the more tedious work begins. Six layers of thin ice are
laid down individually on top of the white paint. Once the sixth layer has
frozen, the process of painting the lines begins. Screws are placed in
specially marked spots on the dasher boards so we can attach strings to guide
straight lines. Then a staff of two paints five perfect circles, each with a
30-foot circumference. Once half the lines and circles are completed another
crew comes in and starts to paint the AHL or NCAA official hash marks and face
off circles. This paint is in liquid form and is diluted with hot water.
Meanwhile, the mesh logos are being perfectly placed. Once we have the logos
down, they are sealed with a coating of fine spray from a pump sprayer. This
must be done many times to make sure the logos do not move or blur.
Now it is time to bring out the big hose. Once all logos are in place and painting is done, we pump several thin layers of water onto the ice throughout the night. It may sound odd, but once the ice reaches about a half-inch of thickness, we use Zamboni’s to flood the ice with hot water in order to relieve any ice stresses. If done properly the sheet of ice should look like crystal clear glass!
At this point, the hard work is over and the ice needs to be “skated in” as the perfect ice sheet is too dense for the liking of a professional or collegiate hockey team.
Special thanks to our Operations Manager, Kevin Abbott, and his crew for walking us through the process and keeping everything running smoothly. Keep up the impressive work guys!
Special thanks to our Operations Manager, Kevin Abbott, and his crew for walking us through the process and keeping everything running smoothly. Keep up the impressive work guys!
