Future of event center takes form

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – The future of the New Mountain America Center is on more solid ground today. Contractors spent hours pouring cement to build the main floor on Friday.

Construction crews worked the constant stream of concrete into one solid base.

“Here we are today with the fourth major milestone up to this point. It’s too pouring the ice rink floor,” Idaho Falls Auditorium District executive director Rob Spear said. “This is such a precise, complex core that it needed to be done timely so we can assure ourselves of a late November opening.”

Crews have been preparing for this for more than a month, due to the floor’s complexity.

“It has to be done at the same time. Obviously, mainly because of the temperature change this floor will experience once it’s completed,” Mountain America center general manager Erik Hudson said “We’re going to run brine solution through the tubes and that’s going to be chilled about 12 degrees. And that way we can build ice on top of the concrete.”

They even brought in the specialized construction group the “Ice Builders” to handle this specific pour.

“They go around the country and they pour floors that are for arenas, and they specialize in cold floors like this one…They have a pristine reputation when it comes to wars like this. And we wanted to work with the best,” Hudson said.

And while the arena is designed to host local hockey games, we’re assured there will be plenty of other acts to follow to draw the crowds in. 

“This community of Idaho Falls is an innovative community and it needs a great venue to bring in great entertainment…ice hockey is going to be about 15% of the activity in this facility,” Spear said.

The Mountain America Center already has 60 events in the books for 2023 and 100 more in the works.

They”ll announce their first event on Monday, July 25.

“There’s entertainment that’s going to be provided concerts, comedy acts, monster truck shows, rodeos, basketballs, and state tournaments. You know, you can have anything that you can imagine in this facility,” Spear said.