Construction crews are making progress on the new events center in Sioux Falls. The building is constructed with the roof put together and next is the concrete pour of the ice floor.
The Sioux Falls Stampede Hockey team has announced it plans to move to the Denny Sanford Premier Center next season. Saturday, Mortenson Construction plans to pour concrete onto the floor of the events center to lay a format for the future regulation sized ice rink. Brian Boe is the Superintendent for Mortenson Construction, who is organizing this project. He says this is an exciting step in the process but it's also an important step, which requires accuracy.
"It's where all the tubing is that makes and melts the ice. So today is just the day prior to that pour, getting everything ready. Ducks in a row, checks and balances and then tomorrow we're going to go," Boe says.
The overall amount of concrete needed for this project is over one million pounds or an equivalent of 40 concrete trucks. Boe says once the concrete is poured, then comes the process known as the "Wet Cure."
"There's many different ways of doing it but one way we're going to do it is lay plastic on it and keep it wet. Keeping it moist helps strengthen the concrete," Boe says. "On day 11 we'll put a hardener on it, a concrete hardener and then after 28 days from tomorrow is when we can walk on it, drive on it."
Boe says installing seating along with the scoreboard motor is the next step once the concrete for the ice floor is poured. Country Singer Jason Aldean announced this week his plans to perform a concert in Sioux Falls tin the fall. The exact date and venue have not been confirmed.
