Rose Quarter Blog

Since the Rose Quarter is home to the Portland Winterhawks and hosts a couple of other skating events each year as well, ice making is a very important part of the physical operations on the campus. Before I witnessed the ice production for the recent Stars on Ice show, I had assumed that you just flooded the floor and waited for the water to freeze. As it turns out, ice making is a much more intricate and time consuming operation. From start to finish it takes around eighteen hours to prepare a surface for a hockey game and thirty-four hours for an ice skating event.

To prepare for an ice make, hockey dashers are put up and the temperature of the floor is lowered. Under the concrete at the Rose Garden there are copper pipes that run every four inches for the entire length floor.  Those pipes allow the area where the ice will be made to be lowered to a temperature of eight degrees. With that in place, the ice making can begin.

The first step in the production is to lay out a thin sheet of ice. This is done by having someone slowly walk around the arena floor in a specific pattern spraying water in the air creating a “rain” effect. The reasoning behind this method is that the droplets freeze almost immediately upon contact and it allows for density control over the ice. It is important to control the density of the ice because air pockets in the ice can lead to holes.

After an initial layer of ice is made, it is then painted white. Painting a plain white coat for figure skating events only takes an hour, but painting for a hockey game can last up to six. Hockey takes a lot longer because of the logos and lines for play that have to be painted. This process is quickened by the use of giant stencils, but it still takes a while to get everything lined up perfectly.

Once the ice is painted, the longest and most tedious part begins. For eight consecutive hours, someone again walks around spraying water into the air. When he is done, someone else takes over for another shift. In sixteen hours it is possible to lay down an inch of ice, enough for a hockey game. For other skating events, another sixteen hours are needed to create an inch and a half of ice. These events require thicker ice because of the sharpness of the blades and the impact from the landings on the jumps. After the desired thickness is reached, the ice make is complete.

Ice making has become a science in the last decade. Each venue tinkers with its own method to find better processes and then shares their innovations at conventions across the country. Details as small as the best pH level for the water and techniques on how to paint the ice are just some of the intricate steps that have been studied in recent years. As more is learned, the ice making process will only become more complex.

You have most likely attended a concert, seen the Trailblazers, or maybe even had your high school graduation here, but do you really know the Rose Quarter? My answer to that would be a definitive no. Yes, I know what events are coming and the layout of the campus but when it comes to the history and physical operations of this place, I am lost. Now that sounds awful coming from a Rose Quarter employee, but let me explain. My name is Mark and I am the new Marketing Intern. I arrived in Portland two weeks ago and will be here through the summer.

One of my goals for the summer is to get to know the Rose Quarter as well as possible and to share what I learn with you. Since I have only been here for two weeks I do not have much to write about in regards to the campus so far. What I can write about is why I chose to travel over 2000 miles for an unpaid internship.

About Me:

I am a student at the University of South Carolina, home of the Gamecocks, or as you may know it, the school Steve Spurrier coaches at. I am from North Augusta, SC (Right across the river from Augusta, GA). This internship is part of the requirements of my major, Sport and Entertainment Management.

There are a couple of reasons why I chose to come to Portland, but the main reason was to work for Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG). AEG is a worldwide facilities operator and concert promoter. This spring they announced that they would be starting a management training program for recent graduates. I attended the meeting at my school when they came to explain the details of the program and I immediately knew that I had to do anything I could to get be accepted when I graduate in two years. The “sizzler” video at the meeting literally gave me goosebumps, I was that excited. Later that day I mailed a cover sheet and résumé to every AEG venue in the country.

Of the venues that I mailed letters to, Portland was at the top of my list. Portland fit the bill for everything I was looking for. It’s far away from South Carolina, it is a bigger city, and it gave me the opportunity to see a part of the country that I had never seen before. After being accepted for the internship I moved out here without knowing anything about the city or anyone in it. I have learned a bit thus far and I like what I have seen but there is much more that I want to know. As the summer progresses and I post more articles about the Rose Quarter, I would love for you to tell me about Portland or the state of Oregon in general. Anything regarding history, music, sports or just places to have some fun I am interested in. This is a wonderful city and I feel like I am missing out on a lot of things. I will keep you posted on what I learn about the Rose Quarter. I hope that you will introduce me to the city.