Govind Tekale
The NHL plans to construct a massive climate-controlled tent over Raymond James Stadium’s field to build ice for the 2026 Stadium Series game between Boston and Tampa Bay. The NHL has not disclosed energy, emissions or water-use figures for the tent build or ice construction.
The Tent’s Technical Specs
For the February 1, 2026 game, the NHL will erect a 34-foot-high, 124-foot-wide, 248-foot-long steel-framed structure covered in engineered membrane material. The enclosure will be fully air conditioned with the NHL aiming for 60 degrees Fahrenheit with a 38-degree dew point during the week-long ice build, according to NHL Senior Director of Hockey Operations Derek King.
“We found out we need to control the environment, and the best way to do that is to have an enclosed area,” said NHL Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Kris King, explaining that humidity in previous Tampa tests created frost that impaired puck movement and skating.
The structure, designed to withstand 140-mph winds, will take two to three days to assemble and approximately six hours to dismantle. NHL says takedown takes about six hours and removal timing will depend on weather.
Resource Requirements Left Unaddressed
The NHL announcement contains no information about:
- The kilowatt-hour requirements to cool such a large volume of air in Florida’s climate
- The refrigeration load needed to maintain ice temperature in a state where average February highs reach 70.9°F
- Carbon emissions from transportation, construction, and operation of the temporary structure
- Water consumption for ice creation and maintenance in a humidity-controlled environment
NHL Executive Vice President of Events Dean Matsuzaki acknowledged the planning complexity: “We’ve thought of all the different scenarios… We’re probably into three years of planning, and it’ll be another few months of pretty intense planning.”
Comparison to Other Warm-Weather Solutions
The NHL’s approach in Miami for the January 2, 2026 Winter Classic offers a different solution. The loanDepot park’s retractable roof will remain closed with air conditioning running during ice construction, then open shortly before the game.
This method leverages existing infrastructure rather than constructing temporary cooling solutions, though both approaches will require substantial cooling energy, although the NHL has not published kWh or refrigeration-load figures.
Cold Facts About Warm-Weather Hockey
The NHL has recorded face-off temperatures at 50°F or higher on seven occasions out of the 43 outdoor games played since 2003-04, with the warmest reaching 65°F in Denver (2016).
Florida presents significantly greater challenges, with Tampa’s average February high of 70.9°F and humidity levels that affect ice quality.
Ice construction for outdoor games typically takes seven days, with crews often working overnight and covering the ice with insulated blankets during daytime hours.
The Cost of Spectacle
The NHL’s “outdoor” game in Tampa represents an engineering solution to a climate problem that requires:
- Mobile refrigeration units pumping glycol through aluminum pans underneath the ice
- A week of climate control in a massive temporary structure
- Multiple days to assemble; about six hours to disassemble
- The NHL did not detail logistics or transportation of equipment in its release
- The NHL will use HVAC/dehumidification for the tent, but it has not released energy-use figures
Steve Mayer, NHL President of Content and Events, described the approach: “There’s a little risk, but that’s part of the fun. That’s what we do.”
Questions of Authenticity and Definition
The rink will be built inside an enclosed tent and the tent removed before the outdoor game.
Players might practice inside the tent on January 31, meaning their “outdoor” experience happens in an enclosed space.
NHL says takedown takes about six hours and removal timing will depend on weather.
Timing and Tickets
Tickets for the February 1, 2026 game went on sale September 18, 2025, at 10 a.m. ET via Ticketmaster.
What’s Known and Unknown
The NHL has confirmed the tent specifications, construction timeline, and temperature targets.
NHL has not published energy/emissions/water figures and has provided only high-level contingency language (removal will be determined by weather), not a detailed contingency plan.
The game marks the first NHL outdoor game in Tampa, following the League’s first Florida outdoor game in Miami scheduled one month earlier.
