Dutch Arctic: an award-winning indoor snow slope

The Arctic, a new indoor snow play facility scheduled to open in 2008 in the Netherlands has been voted the real estate project of the year at the national Dutch real estate trade show, Provada, earlier this month. The award was presented to Unlimited Snow, the company behind The Arctic at the official trade show opening on Tuesday, 13th June. Massive frozen sports complex The Arctic with a worldwide patented snow circuit will be part of a multi fun & sports building also consisting of a swimming pool, fitness, sports hall, sports retail, kids fun, bowling, hotel and parking. The building will have its own power plant on bio-oil making it a first of a kind environment friendly project. The project will be the first of an international franchise. “I believe the future development of indoor snow centres will see a focus on being real snow and ice amusement facilities themed as virtual Alpine or Arctic worlds including a variety of slopes for beginners to advanced as well as instant fun activities to accommodate much larger target groups.” Said Kees Albers of Unlimited Snow. Multiple activities... ...including snowball fighting (??) Visitors to The Arctic, will be able to choose between a number of activities, including electric snowmobiling, digging up snow with electric diggers, bobsledding over bridges and tunnels, bumper cars on ice as well as dog sledding and cross country skiing. Thrill seekers will get their highs in the ‘The Wave’, a speedy tubing area with slides and spins or indulge in snowball fights in the ‘Snow Wars’ sector. Snowman building or dressed up as an Inuit and being photographed against a backdrop of arctic Scenery are available to those not looking for speed or a face full of snow. Virtual snow as well as the real stuff An Arctic motion theatre and a ‘Base Station’ where guests wear protective clothing will be part of the high tech area, which will also include snow related simulators and virtual reality games. The food and beverage facilities will play a large part in attracting an adult audience, with an arctic barbecue area, an arctic lounge featuring an open fire and an ‘igloo bar’ themed as an igloo. Chill out balconies will offer people the chance to create their own ice sculptures or to watch others climbing on Pine-fresh snow ‘The Glacier’ – a real ice climbing wall. Special effects will make The Arctic even more realistic, with animatronic skimos and polar bears, 3D landscaping, digital projection creating a change from day to night and trees that smell of pine. A sound system will even be put into the entrance so that guests will hear themselves walking on crispy snow. [Source: Snow 365 News] http://www.unlimitedsnow.com/