The NHL is bringing outdoor hockey to Tampa for the first time, and while the sun’s still shining down on Raymond James Stadium, the ice is getting closer to being game-ready.
Right now, the aluminum pans that will eventually form the frozen foundation for the Lightning’s Stadium Series game are still empty, glinting in the Florida heat. But by the end of the weekend, those same pans will be chilling down, prepping for the first layers of ice in a carefully controlled environment built to battle the elements.
Construction is in full swing on both the rink and the massive tent that will temporarily house it. By Friday, the dasher boards were locked into place, and the stanchions-those vertical supports that hold up the glass-were standing tall around the perimeter. But the big milestone came as crews from GNB Global began stretching a white vinyl fabric over the trusses of the tent, forming the insulated shell that will allow NHL ice techs to take over.
Once the tent is fully enclosed-expected by midday Saturday-air-conditioning and dehumidification systems will kick in to bring the interior temperature into the mid- to low-50s. That’s the sweet spot for building and maintaining a solid sheet of ice, even in Florida’s unpredictable January weather.
“Looking at the forecast for the next couple days, I’m glad we’re doing all this,” said Dean Matsuzaki, the NHL’s executive vice president of events. “We’re supposed to be north of 80-degree highs, I think, and possibly some precipitation on Monday. So I think we’ll be happy we have this.”
The ice-making process is already inching forward. The aluminum pans have started cooling, and once the tent is sealed and the interior temperature drops, crews will begin spraying water to slowly build the ice sheet on Sunday. It’s a delicate operation, requiring precision timing as two major projects-the rink and the tent-move forward in tandem.
It’s not just about getting the ice right, though. On Thursday night, construction paused briefly so the league could install its puck and player tracking technology, the same system used in every NHL arena. That’s a small detail, but a crucial one in today’s data-driven game.
And when it comes to outdoor hockey in Florida, the league isn’t taking any chances. They’ve brought in two 300-ton refrigeration trucks-twice the usual number-to keep the ice stable in the warmer climate. If one side of the rink starts taking on more sunlight, they can reverse the coolant flow to compensate and keep the surface even.
That flexibility will be key on game day, when the tent comes down to reveal the rink under the open sky. The NHL can dismantle the tent in about six hours if needed, but ideally, they’d like a 10-hour window to take it down slowly and safely. As always, the weather will have the final say.
Once the tent’s gone, the refrigeration trucks will have to work overtime. That’s where the league’s insulated tarps come in-heat-reflective covers that have been in use since the 2014 outdoor game at Dodger Stadium. They’ll shield the ice from the sun until just before warmups, buying valuable time to preserve the surface.
“Our hockey ops group does have monitors in the ice, monitoring temperature and everything,” Matsuzaki said. “They’re watching it closely ... and we’re watching the weather very closely. But when we start to turn off the HVAC equipment and start taking the canvas off the structure, we will put our tarps over.”
Looking ahead to Feb. 1, the forecast is cautiously optimistic: highs in the 50s, lows in the 40s, partly cloudy skies. That’s about as good as it gets for outdoor hockey in Tampa.
There’s still a chance of rain, and the league is prepared to work through light showers. But extended warm rain?
That’s a different story-and one they’ll hope to avoid.
For now, it’s all systems go at Raymond James Stadium. The ice is coming, and the NHL is pulling out all the stops to make sure Tampa’s first outdoor game is one to remember.