Inspired by ice hockey arenas
Pinecrest Ice Arena
The real thing: the ice hockey arena
An ice rink looks simple: a white sheet inside the boards. Underneath is a refrigeration plant pumping a chilled liquid through pipes in a concrete floor, keeping the surface frozen even with thousands of warm fans around it.
The ice is only a few centimetres thick, built up from many thin layers of sprayed water. The white is paint: after the first layers, crews paint the whole surface white, add the lines and logos, and seal them under more ice.
Between periods, an ice resurfacer shaves the top and lays down a thin film of water that freezes smooth. Frank Zamboni built the first one in California in 1949, which is why people call any resurfacer a Zamboni. For a concert the ice usually stays: crews cover it with insulated panels and build the stage on top.
In Big Night Tycoon
3,600 seats
Tier 2
A steep 3,600-seat hockey arena in the snowy pines, home of the Ice Wolves. Hockey and ice shows on the white, and cover the rink and it's a concert floor. The ice needs care: every big night leaves its mark.
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