When completed the facility will be 173 feet high--60 feet taller than Edison Field and one-third larger than Arrowhead Pond. Sports venues to be offered include an indoor snowboarding park that, "will be the training site for the US snowboarding team for the winter Olympics," Gerard says.

The complex also will have skiing and snowboarding learning centers, a free-skating ice rink, six stationary wave pools, an indoor/outdoor surfing park, a 33,000-sf skate park, a wind tunnel for sky diving and a 15,000-sf rock climbing wall--the largest in the United States. Additionally, Gerard says,"We are currently working with Playstation to develop a game that includes the Glacier."

A partner in the project, Mammouth Mountain has agreed to be the offical snow operator for Gotcha Glacier, providing snow production and grooming, ski-lift operation, ski and snowboard rentals and lessons. Equity partner Enron Energy Services, a subsidiary of Enron Energy, will manage the complex's mechanical infrastructure and climate control for various venues. KUD International LLC,a subsidiary of Kajima Corp., is project manager. Turner Construction will be the general contractor and Ogden Entertainment will manage the facility.

According to Gerard, Glacier Sports is looking at other major cities around the country to repeat the concept.